In passing up the Grand Canal recently, the writer noticed that a number of the barges built for the express purpose of carrying the K'ai Ping coals to market, were now being used to transport salt to Tao K'no, the head of navigation on this, the Wei river. There were 18 or 20 of these in the fleet. They were accompanied by a small steam tug, which seemed to be for the purpose of helping them around the hard places. was noticed that many of the old cargo boats were loaded and destined as these were, that the release of these barges for other work, presumably by the Railroad doing what they formerly did, hae not, apparent ly interfered with the business of the other
barrels of "Portland cement were en a boat tho Two large cargo boats carrying about 500
verite to the same point, whence the cement is to be sent across country to the Yellow River. It could not be ascertained at whose instigation it was being sent whether oficially for public works, or as a private speculation, but in either case, it is an interesting and significant fact.
It is probably not known to most persons, that much of the country to the west of us is just on the verge of a famine, of nearly or quite as large proportions as' the one in which foreign funds were expended about ten years ago. In a journey of over 200 miles from Tientzip, with mre exceptions, ithe statement was that there had been only a little over half a crop the last season. Beyond this, distant some 800 or 900 li from Tientsin, the border of the famine districts is reached. Refugees, and other Chinese who had been in those sections of country were met, and the general testimony is that the past season's crop ranges from one tenth to three or four tenths of a good harvest. A large part:; Shansi and Honan, a small portion of southern Chihli, and southern Shantung seem to be involved in this calamity. Some jof the accounts are very distressing. A little camp of these refugees, 8 or 10 families, perhaps, who were almost destitute of everything, had planted themselves by a large market town, their little huts being constructed of one thickness of reed mats, their only protection in the November nights.
Not enough is as yet known of the actual condition of these famine stricken regions to warrant positive statements, or even suggestions as to what ought to be done for their relief. But the string of refugees, and their tale of suffering, certify to the fact of a famine. Would it not be well that some steps be taken to ascertain where is the Relief Fund referred to recently by Dr, test need, and apply the balance of the
Williamson in print, to the sufferers of the regions? It is a suggestion for those cially within reach of those sections, and who have the facilities for ascertaining the facta. Te would be a proper use of auch a fund,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.