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.
i=
I.
11.
336
19% h
;
being ravaged by brigands. An Italian priest was carried
off by these bands many weeks ago and remains in captivity;!
and at the moment of writing news is to hand of further
depredations in the course of which the town of Tsaoshih
has been looted and burnt, British mission property
destroyed and the lives of the British and other foreign
missionaries endangered. The usual representations have
of course been made both here and at Fankow. Apart from
foreign interests in the interior the insecurity of the
aituation in Pupei naturally causes some uneasiness in
regard to the safety of l'arkow, and in this connection
I have the honour to attach copy of a despatch (enclosure
No. 7) received from is Majesty's Consul General at that
port on the subject of the local situation. Fortunately
the British community at ankow maintain a small but
efficient volunteer corps; and is Excellency the Commander-
in-chief, who is being kept fully informed of the situation.
will doubtless, as far as his resources permit, take the
necessary measures, in co-operation with the naval forces
DARA CON
/of the