Rev. Dr. Flickinger was also empowered to contract for the John Brown steamer, and visited England last December, on his way to Africa, spending some days in conference with ship builders relating to the kind and size of vessel needful. Before closing the contract, however, he decided to examine the depth and width of the rivers upon which it was to be used and other matters involved in its success in connection with the Mendi Mission. Upon his return to England in May, he contracted with Mr. Edward Hayes, of Stratford, for the construction of the steamer. It is to be 60 feet long, 12 feet beam and 7 feet deep amid ships, draft of water 3½ feet, speed from 7 to 8 miles per hour to carry 15 tons cargo besides coal for running two days, and to have cabin accommodations for seven persons and room for the crew in the forecastle. It is to be of the best of iron and material throughout. Its engine will be 36 horse-power and of the most substantial kind, and the boiler of ample size and strength, adapted for wood or coal. It is to be finished in the early autumn and to cost £1,777. To this must be added about £300 for transporting and putting it in order for use, or a little above $10,000 in all. We trust that unpaid pledges to this Association for the steamer will be forwarded to us without delay. * * * * * We call attention to the communication in this number from Rev. W. C. Pond, Superintendent of our Chinese missions. The magnitude and importance of his work will, we hope, stir the hearts of our friends to liberal contributions in its behalf. * * * * * GENERAL NOTES. AFRICA. —A plan to expend $10,000,000 in the purchase of land to form two hundred new villages in Algeria will be presented to the French Chamber at the beginning of the session. —Ahmed Tewfik Effendi, a Turk of high rank, has made a profession of Christianity and has gone to Cairo to work among the Mohammedans, under the direction of Mr. Klein. —The Khedive has given a portion of land at Cairo to Miss Whately that she may erect a building for her school. The school contains 200 girls and 300 boys, of which two-thirds of the girls and one-half of the boys are Mohammedans. —The London _Daily News_ announces that the Egyptian government has decided to send an engineer to Soudan to form a plan for a railroad between Khartoum and Souakim. —The Magwangwaras have released without ransom twenty-three Christian prisoners that they had taken at Masasi. The amount that had been destined to liberate these has been used to redeem the Makouas and the Yaos, their neighbors, who had been reduced to captivity with them. The farmers of Masasi, who have been sent to Zanzibar, will return to their station when it is deemed expedient.