The following has been handed to us for publication My Dear Mx. Mommmea,—Tho poor of this place are better cared for than those in other cities. Three distributing centres a little way outside the city supply so 4,000 or 5,000 poor with half a basin of rice (uncooked) per diem. They give to all comers, but since the ingathering of the Autumn crops their numbers have fallen off considerably. Besides this, the Governor has opened an Orphanage in the city, which now numbers 160 or more children. They are well clothed and fed, but seem to be crowded into rather close quarters, and og yet receive no instruction though confined in the Temple appropriated for their use the whole of the day, They wear a badge on their jackets stating the district they come from, their name and age, and the District Magistrate has issued proclamations warning the people against stealing these warm padded jackets they wear.
The people here speak very highly both of the Governor and of the Chihli Viceroy, for the efforts they have made towards a general contribution from all the provinces throughout the country in behalf of the Shansi famine, and for the success which has attended those efforts.
We commenced yesterday, the 10th month's distribution to the aged and the orphans, and as Mr. Turner is so much better, I felt free to go and superintend. Above 100 received relief. Very few besides those whose names were on the register came, and all passed off very quietly. Yours, Tai Yuen-fu, 29rd Oct.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.