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to them. Public attention at Chengtu has been concentrated during the past quarter on the provincial elections to the Peking Parliament. The election of the thirty-five inembers to represent Szechuan in the Lower House was effected without serious difficulty, but that of Senators for the Upper House, which had to await the settlement of the internal affairs of the Provincial Assembly proved a tardy process. Of the thirty-five members of Parliament for Szechuan, twenty-three are said to belong to the Kuo Min Tang and twelve to the Kung Ho Tang. The result may be said to be less representative of public opinion in the province than of a highly-organised party, whose main object appears to be the obtaining of well-paid posts for its members. The Kuo Miu Tang favour the maximum of provincial autonomy, including the right to elect their own Governor and choose their own executive officials. The Kung Ho Tang is in favour of centralisation and willing to leave the appointment of Governor and executive officials in the hands of the Central Government at Peking.
Towards the end of February there was a mutiny of unpaid soldiers at Ningyuenfu. Order was restored but no serious attempt made to punish the ringleaclers.
Various conferences have taken place at Chengtu between representatives of the native converts who wish to manage their own church independently of the foreign missionaries and the missionaries themselves. This independent church movement is growing all over China, but the question of finance is at present the main stumbling- block in the way of the Chinese converts.
Eastern Szechuan was also disturbed in the month of February by a deliberate attack on the city of Wan Hsien by the Chengtu troops forming part of the garrison. At best an ill-disciplined body, arrears of pay and rumours of their approaching dis- bandment had brought about a state of mutiny in the ranks. Fifteen of the largest firma and pawnshops were successively invaded and looted, and the men having secured between 5,000 and 10,000 taels in silver, were only induced to return to their barracks by a promise of 10,000 dollars from the townspeople. Further outrages were averted by the payment of this sum, the troops concerned being also awarded an additional month's pay as a gratuity. Some time elapsed before the authorities took steps to bring the ringleaders to book, but several of the chief offenders were eventually shot and the disorderly company transferred to Chengtu.
During the looting no hostility to foreigners was displayed, but His Majesty's consul at Chungking reports that a certain measure of irritation, which has found vent in posters inveighing against the malicious designs of the foreign Powers for the partition and enslavement of China, has lately made its appearance in Wan Hsien.
The reduction of the military forces of Szechuan bas led to a recrudescence of armed robbery and kidnapping in Nan Chuan, Ch'i Chiang, and other districts bordering on the lawless province of Kueichou. A force sent from Chungking to restore order was defeated by a strong band of brigands, and concerted action by the military authorities of Kueichou and Szechuan was needed to suppress the general disorder along the border. At present a party of soldiers is posted every 5 li along the main roads, and conditions are so far improved that the Post Office is endeavouring to reopen the parcel-post service to Kueichou, which has been interrupted since the beginning of the railway rising of 1911.
Fünnan.
Very peaceful conditions have prevailed in the province of Yünnap for some time, and there have been no serious disturbances to record. The people appear to be prosperous and contented, and the army-well paid and disciplined-has given no trouble. The Provincial Treasury is reported to be practically empty, but funds are forthcoming to provide for the current expenses of administration and even for the purchase of munitions of war, The feeling of hostility towards the British on account of their supposed aggressions on the frontier still exists amongst all classes of Yunnanese, His Majesty's and has a prejudicial effect on British interests in that part of China. consul-general is endeavouring to counteract this, in some measure, by persuading the local authorities to send a few students to the Hong Kong University out of the 100 which are to be sent abroad this year.
A society for the advancement of Buddhism in China has been established in Yunnan-fu under the patronage of the local Government.
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