The more one gets to know about this case the more does it look like a deliberate try-on on the part of the officials to see how far they can safely go; and it is much to be feared, if the experiment turns out aucce it will he repeated before long on a larger scale. The neighbouring most important province of Hunan which used to be open for travel ut least, is now closed. This Sungpu matter, it not put straight, wil in like manner shat up a Jarge portion of Hupeh, and it will not stop that, The magistrate of Muchéng could never carry on as he does were he not assured of support—indeed he is generally represented ax an oficial whose chief concern la to obey orders. Nor could the Viceroy allow him to do it for a day were lit not agreeable to some higher power than even he. Yet there are still some good people so blind that they cannot see anything in thi pu agitation but an entirely un-Christian clam. ur for what they call vengeance." The question really at stake in: Shall such dreadful incidents as the Sungpu massacre, with all the misery it has wrought to native and foreigner alike, be multiplied throughout China, or shall they once and for all now cease? Shall the country remain open to us, or are we prepared tu allow it to be shut up?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.