TEE ORIENT COMPANY. At the fourteenth annual meeting °- Orient Steamship Company on Wednesday, a dividend of 3 per cent*, only was declared, £56,057 bsing carried to tho resorro hind. The Chairman, in tha course of his speech, referred to the lecent trouble at tho docks C'a strike for domination," lie called it). The Australian Companies were able to crush it by banding themselves together. The strike in Australia cost the Orient lino about £10,000, Coal rose from 10a to 44s and 45s per ton. Owing to the labour troubles at the Antipodes, there had been a biy; falling oil in tha third-class passengers carried out. Tne decroass on the tvvelve months amounted to £12,000. Tilings were now, however, improving again. Expenditure enforced under the Life Saving Appliances Acfc had been con siderable, viz., £11,645, and the Cuairman did npfc appear to approve some of the alterations ordered. T!se Company's new sreamer tho Oohir would, he said, be one of the finest: vessels afloat. On the whole the prospects of the line seemed fairly en couraging. Tho great tiling during com paratively hard times such as tho present was to keep a tight hand on tho expendi ture. CAELE REDUCTIONS. After innumerable delays and much di plomatic negotiation, Russia has at length allowed herself to bo persuaded into agree ing to tho reduction of the cable ratus to your part of the world. Tho Imperial Government's final decision was only wired to the Agonts-General on the 27th. In celebration of the reduction of the cable rates tho Agents-General are to be permitted to forward any social mossasjes they may wish to send to Australia or New Zealand free of charge. This brilliant idea is, needless to say, Sir John Pender's. The loast the Agents can do under the circum stance is to include a dolicate compliment to"fcho enterprising and energetic Chair man of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company" in their gratis communications. COLONIAL BORROWING. The "Economist " seriously advises tho Australian colonies to re-assure tho London money market by giving a joint under taking nob to borrow further for a couple of years or so. Other papers smile satirically at the proposal, remarking that you have got so accustomed to living on loans, you really couldn't exist without) one for a twelve month, much less for two years. 