An amusing story comes from Victoria, British Columbia, about the Chinese special envoy, who has just arrived in New York on his way to London. When the Canadian Pacific steamer which brought him over from China arrived in port, it was found that she had two cases of smallpox on board. The authorities of Victoria at once ordered her to quarantine for twenty-four days. The steerage passengers, who were all Chinamen, were taken to the quarantine station, where the usual process of fumigation and disinfection took place. There were, doubtless, many protests and wails from the unfortunate Celestials, but nobody heeded them, and the work was carried through without difficulty. When, however, it came to the other passengers, there was a great disturbance. The English were furious, threatening terrible things if any one attempted to fumigate them. A special company of 200 armed men was consequently detailed to guard the quarantine station, lest the passengers should attempt to get away before the twenty-four days were over. All this trouble was as nothing, however, to that which arose when it was conveyed to His Excellency Chang, Special Envoy from the Emperor of China to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, that he needed disinfecting! Accompanying the Envoy was his suite, which was composed of a number of Chinamen of high rank. None of these illustrious persons had the slightest knowledge of Western ways, and they one and all protested that to fumigate them, or their great Chang, was practically fumigating the Emperor of China! In their eyes this seemed the most awful crime that mortal could commit. His Excellency Chang refused to submit to any such insulting treatment, and appealed to the Canadian Government, the British Government, and the Chinese Ministers in London to protect him. He declared that, rather than submit, he would go back to China without fulfilling his mission,--a proceeding fraught with considerable danger to himself, as he stated that the Emperor, his master, might cut off his head, and the heads of all his suite, for disobedience to his wishes. But the noble Envoy preferred death to fumigation. What he imagined fumigation was it is impossible to say, but he warned the authorities that if they attempted it, the Emperor of China would declare war on England. The unfortunate officials did not know what to do, and waited in a great state of anxiety for orders from the Government. The story does not say how the matter was arranged, but as His Excellency is now in New York, and war has not been declared by China, it is to be supposed that he was not fumigated. * * * * * The Japanese are a very progressive people. A generation ago the inhabitants of Japan were not allowed to leave their country, nor were foreigners permitted to enter it.