Ths.
foo Subscriptions Tientsin From Mr. Muirhea Ist remittance Sed (fr. Hankow) Ath remittance Sundry Subscriptions ous ports 110.00, ChineseSub. (Fukhien hong)
Total Forwarded to Mr. and Mrs. Langhlin—Ist remittance.
Sh. Ti. 8
500.00
435.00
349.94
45.00 $1,084.94
Hesay B, Bristow, Chefoo, 4th Feb., 1889.
With these funds, so kindly furnished, {Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin, of Wei-hien)
-gau their work of distributing aid about the Ist of January, with an enrolment of 5,000 persons, increased afterward 6,000. One thousand dollars ree few days since frum the Pres. Buard of Missions in the United States, and one thousand taels just proffered by telegraph frum the Inland Missivn, through Mr. Stevenson of Shanghai, will, we think, warrant the extension of the enrolment at once to ten or fifteen thousand.. The plan of distribution which was adopted at first is continued. Each person receives 10 cush (about une cent) daily. The allowance fur each village is given out every seven days, and received by village elders representatives, who distribute it to individuals according to the previously prepared enrolment list. The sum given is very small, especially in view of the advanced price of provisions, but it will buy small-quantity of grain which mixed with chaff or leaves will sup) life. The plan is working admiral, the people are grateful and appreciative, and Mrs. Laughlin's efficient help amon; the women and children issuing much gous All the accounts which reach us from the famine region are most painful and harrowing. Hundreds of thousands are, with the rarest exceptions, reduced to the last stage of destitution.' The death-rate is, constantly increasing; even the rich, in the ordinary sense, are suffering as much as the poor. Only large capitalists are now able to obtain sufficient food to eat, This state ut things must grow worse and worse, until the next wheat: harvest, Mr, Stevenson's telegram asks; Can you distribute in famine region one thousand taels?" To this I would reply; "Yes, we can distribute one hundred thousand and note." Even this would only alleviate small proportion of the general distress, No one need fear that any amount sent will be greater than quired, or beyond our ability to distribute. Other missionaries in connection with the stations in Fen; chow, and Wei-hien would be glad, if the necessary funds were forthcoming, to or-nisse another distributing centre; and the missionaries in Ching-chow-fu, and Chinan-fu are equally desirous of doing the same work." It is quite practicable, as was proved in the famine of 1877, to distribute from ouefcentre on the plan'now adopted, with an enrolment of more than 30,000 po: sous. If the receipt of funds should warrant: the establishment of three more distributing centres, in addition to the one we now have, with thirty-five thousand connected with each, we wight have one hundred and forty thousand on our lists. This would requite $1,400 daily; $42,000 each month, and from the middle of February to the middle of June the sum of $168,000.
The outside pressure for the exten: the relief-work around the prevent buting centre is very great. We are glad that it is now possible to yield to the Bored grates to seriously jeopardize the pressure; otherwise the tension might. soon
work and lives of those engaged in it.
The Committee has to thank Sheng Taotai, of Chefvo, for providing an escort for Mr. Paton, who took the last remittance of Tls. 600 to the famine region, and also silver for the Ching-chow-fu missionaries: who having contributed for famine relief from their own private resources very generously (about $2,000) found their treasury neatly empty; and were in urgent need of money supplies.
Ju behalf of the Shantung Relief Com-
Hexxy B. Bristow, Chairman, Jous L. Nevis, Secretary. Chefvo, dth February.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.