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original purpose. The usual procedure is to wait until the canal banks show signs of bursting, and then to heighten the banks still further above the level of the surrounding country, or to cut the banks and allow the country to be flooded. No serious attempt has been made to clear the bed of the Grand Canal since the days of Kublai Khan, nearly 600 years ago, with the result that silt has steadily lessened the object and uses His Majesty's Consul obtained of the canal both for drainage and navigation. particulars of dredgers from various tirms in England, and these were submitted to the Viceroy Tuan Fang, together with a letter explaining the benefits of dredging the Grand Canal. The Viceroy eventually expressed a desire to purchase a dredger from the firm of Priestmans.
Hunting of Reformers.-A son of the Viceroy visited Chinking in January in a He was followed a few days later by the Chinese cruiser on some confidential mission, Admiral of the Yang-tsze in another cruiser. The Admiral spent two or three days in port occupied in searching for objectionable reformers. His list of reformers wanted" by the Viceroy in the Lower Yang-isze district contained over 240 names.
4. Hankow.
Kiangsi Railway Loun (see Sir J. Jordan's No. 88 of the 16th February).-A native paper published the following on the 6th March :-
"The rumoured loan from Belgium has been discussed in all the papers. The real facts are that, after the failure of the negotiations with the Pru-yi Company, the Kiukiang Manager made an Agreement with the Kiangsi Guild in Shanghae to raise a Chinese loan from the Guilds of 1,000,0001. at 7 per cent. interest, to be issued at 95, 1,000,000 shares to be deposited as security and stamped Kiangsi Guild. Unfortunately, after the Agreement had received the square official seal, none of the Guilds had any funds to
it to a former student of dentistry in America to try and get the Japanese merchants in
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"Two regiments were sent to protect the foreign Settlements from attack from the disbanded soldiers.
"Sampan (boat) men were ordered not to ply for hire in the night time lest they should bring over a crowd of men to make trouble in Hankow.
"After the mutineers killed Chang's horse they were ordered to be confined in barracks by General Wu, and the garrison troops were armed and stationed along the road night and day to keep a strict watch on all comers.
"The disbanded men were to receive their January pay as usual, but were not to get the bonus of three months" pay until they reached their several destinations."
5. Swatow.
In his Intelligence Report for the period ended the 28th February, 1907, His Majesty's Consul reports that a marked feature of the situation is the cynical indifference of the authorities, from the highest to the lowest, to all demands preferred to them on behalf of British subjects, and the pronounced disposition shown by them to lay down the law in all matters with an absolute disregard for all Treaty stipulations. Being mostly inaccessible they have always been difficult to deal with at Swatow, but it will soon be almost impossible to deal with them at all.
There has been no recurrence of disorders, and the district is generally quiet. Owing to lack of rain, the rice crops have been below the average, and for the same reason the spring crops are said to have been to a great extent destroyed by insects. Complaints have been made by both British and American missionaries regarding the plundering and maltreating of Christian converts by their fellow villagers, in the endeavour to compel payment of the purely voluntary subscriptions to religious festivals.
produce. The Agreement was then taken to the compradore of a German firm, who gaveidiem on the average, which does not satisfy the shareholders. Shanghae to take up the loan. But they all refused, on the ground that the shares third-class fare to Ampo in lieu of the former 10 cents.
were only so much waste paper. According to the Agreement the funds were to be forthcoming within twenty days of sealing, but although the Railway Bank Manager went to Shanghae to receive the money he did not get it, and the obstacle in the way of the line was not removed."
Chao Chow-fu Railway. The present earnings do not exceed 600 dollars (661.) per The Company had recently raised their rates, and are now charging 15 cents for abourers, who cannot afford the extra 5 cents, and therefore go by boat instead. The Brain service is also inadequate, running only three times a day each way.
Most of these passengers are day cargo is being carried, and, even were there trucks available, it will not be sent by in unless the line is brought down to the harbour frontage. The cargo at present all At present
The same paper announced two days later that, "owing to the attempt to raise as by boat as before. loar from the Kiangsi Guild in Shanghae, and the subsequent offer of scrip to foreign merchants, there have been many rumours current; consequently, the Governor has ordered!
a confidential investigation into the matter."
Popular Distress.-Rice is now dearer than for ten years past, and the
of the community are in a starving condition.
poorer sections
Japanese Business Undertakings.--Since the railway has reached Kaifeng, traders of Of these there came last years all nations have flocked there, but Japanese most of all. druggists, dealers in pencils, copybooks, diaries, and maps. There was a ready sale, for they were both cheap and good.
Mutiny Among General Wu's Troops.-Local native newspapers report the following:
"General Wu wanted to go to his post at Ting Hai Chen, so he asked to be relieved of his appointment. As his men were not drilled on modern lines the Viceroy decided to hand them over to General Chang, to be raised to the same standard as the rest, but these men, used to laxity, and fearing Chang's severe discipline, took the opportunity to demand a bonus. Before it had been granted, one day when handing in their accoutrements they secreted their bayonets, food pans, &c., and at night robbed several shops, taking 300 taels in cash alone. The following day Chang and Colonel L went together to persuade them to give up what they had retained. A disturbance arose and the men stabbed to death Chang's favourite riding horse, and Li only just escaped the same fate. Luckily General Wu's efforts extricated them, and he was able to ge them away safely. The following day the Viceroy sent a garrison regiment to suppres them. A ringleader was captured, and it was decided to disband 500 men, giving then three months pay, and to put the remaining 500 under Chang's command. The affa caused much talk, and there was much apprehension feit,
The disbanded soldiers of General Wu came over and began pillaging in Hanko but the Viceroy promptly ordered the arrest of any miscreants, and of persons passin themselves off as disbanded soldiers.
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