AFRICA.
–It is reported that Piaggia, the Italian explorer, who purposed penetrating the Galla country in Southern Abyssinia, is dead.
–Col. Mills, who formerly occupied the post of Consul-General and English Political Agent at Mascate, has been appointed to succeed Dr. Kirk at Zanzibar.
–M. Maspéro, director of the Egyptian museum, has succeeded in discovering the opening of the pyramid of Meydoum which has passed until now as impenetrable.
–M. Tagliabue, correspondent of the Exploratore, has made from Massaoua an excursion among the Bogos, where he has specially studied the tobacco plantations.
–M. Godfrey Roth, who gave proof of so much zeal at the time of the arrival of the caravans of slaves at Siout, has been attached to Giegler Pasha, at Khartoum, for the suppression of the slave trade.
–Rohlfs has written the Secretary of the Anti-Slavery Society that he hoped to return to London in January, and go from thence to Cairo, to negotiate peace with the Khedive on the part of the King of Abyssinia, under the auspices of the English government, from which he beseeches aid in favor of the Emperor of Abyssinia.
THE INDIANS.
–The London Missionary Society has furnished their Indian missions on the North Pacific Coast with a small steamer. The Baptists also have one on Puget Sound.
–The Protestant Episcopal Church sustains 394 missionaries in its home field, of whom 52 labor among the Indians.
–The Presbytery of West Virginia, although itself a weak Home Missionary Presbytery, has ordained three ministers for Alaska.
THE CHINESE.
–The Chinese government has decided to increase the tax on foreign opium and impose a tax on native opium.
–A Chinese ship loaded with tea recently arrived in London. It is the first that ever reached that port.
–Rev. H. V. Noyes, of the Presbyterian mission at Canton, has prepared a Concordance of the New Testament in Chinese.
–There were 18 graduates of the Scientific Department of the Training School at Kioto, Japan, and all remained to pursue the study of theology.