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The conditions at present prevailing on the Peking-Hankow Railway, notably that portion of the line which runs through Hupeh and Honan, reflect most unfavourably on the capacity of the Chinese to carry through such enterprises without strict foreign control. The ordinary trains are invariably filled with armed ruffians who utilise their military status as a cloak for travelling up and down free of charge and pestering harmless civilians. Any native travelling on the line has to pay these men a sum of money in return for which the soldier forces the ticket-collector to let hun travel gratis. Resistance is useless as one or two conductors have found, after being thrown out of their train by these men, Travellers who refuse to pay toll to the soldiers are forced to stand in the corridors. The cars are in most cases filthy, and it is only after forcible eviction of soldiers that even a European can obtain a seat. Two officers, generally of field rank, travel on the trains to "maintain order"; but as usual they are without any authority and confine their activities to strutting up and down the platforms at the various halting places. Trains are frequently very late and in many cases station-masters cheerfully pass any train through regardless of the possibility of a collision. Thefts of screws from the "chairs of the rails often occur, and are a source of danger to trains, as the line appears to be safe, but is liable to shift on being touched and thus cause a derailment. Complaints have been also frequently made of thefts from goods trains, usually the work of the same soldiers. The only train free from the various pests above mentioned is the weekly express, over which the European inspectors are allowed a little inore control,
Honan,
The Honan authorities do not appear to have been so successful in maintaining order and suppressing brigandage. Amongst the innumerable acts of lawlessness reported one of the most during occurred in the early part of December when a band of 500 mounted robbers attacked the district city of Hsi-bua Hsien, and after looting the town departed unmolested, taking with them some of the leading inhabitants for whose release they demanded a ransom. The authorities seem powerless to deal with these brigands, many of whom are disbanded soldiers and are possessed of modern weapons.
Shensi is also reported to be overrun with disbanded soldiers; but conditions in Kansuh show signs of improvement, although the strong hostility which exists between the Mahommedan troops and the other inhabitants is a constant menace to the peace of the province.
Hunan.
There have been no serious disturbances in Hunan during the past quarter; but although the disbanding of the troops has freed the authorities from the apprehension of an organised revolt, it has let loose upon the province a horde of men who have been too long maintained in absolute idleness on an abuormally high rate of pay to settle down peaceably to their usual avocations. In consequence there is not a district but has its tale of acts of brigandage; while in several cities gangs of disbanded soldiers rua riot, terrorising the peaceable section of the population and setting the authorities at defiance. There has nevertheless been a marked absence of anti-foreign feeling, In fact His Majesty's consul at Changsha observes that it has been once more shown conclusively that the only requisite for the complete safety of foreigners in Hunan is that there shall be no active campaign against them on the part of those in authority. The officials on their side continue to exhibit anxious care for the safety of foreigners. This is remarkable testimony to the fact that anti-foreign feeling in China has been
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