me time ago @ clerk in the telegraph this place showed an amount of ability truly astounding for a Celestial. As arulo when despatches are sent, impressions are made on paper which have to be translated from a code, but this clerk mastered the code so that he could rea the impressions at sight. With all this ability, to what account did he turn it? Why, like a true Celestial, to dollars and cents of course. So last year he wired to Peking that an official here was out of fands, and to send at once 300 taels toa certain place inside the city. The reply was received by this master of telegraphy and no one was any the isser.
In due time the money was forthcom and the young man supposed he lad m: [str ko. Such id ut idle und consequently was called i and 0 play again this year, but this time to the tune 500 taels. It was a bold stroke and his courage, not being equal tchis ability, caused him to send almost tov many despatches to ensure his prize. The authorities smelt a rat, and had this prodigy ferreted out and put into proper hands for future safe keeping. According to Chinese justice, all in the office, with one or two exceptions, lost their positions, including the manager. his summer, by order of the Chiicheo Fu Taotai, a squeeze station was established here on the Grand Canal to-tax all opium going south. Four bright red flags were set up and the tiger heads were hung out, but as this station was newly opened and some might be disposed to doubt it, other signs of authority were made painfully conspicuous, viz., several brand-new Queen Elizabeth collars, made of wood, and kept ready and handy to adorn any of a dubious turn of mind. These signs had the desired effect and transporters pay over 30 taels on. every hundred catties, It is said that little foreign opium is used, now that so much is grown here and north of this city. A great deal is grown in Shantung, the heaviest growing district being in the neighbourhood of Chiningchow. Land that will yield 3 or 4 dollars' worth of wheat, said, will produce 15 to 20 dollars' with of opium; the inducement then is very great to grow the drug, the moral aspect of the case cutting no tizure xt all with a Chinaman. Another Fang (500) vf soldiers has gone south to Yangchow. The mouth of the Grand Canal, being one of the important gateways to Peking, must. be guarded against the approach of the rebels, whether native or foreign it is not clearly stated. No distinetions are made in this section of the count all enemies are rebels, Not infrequently this question is put to foreigners: What was all that rebellion about, that you all got up, when you went up to our capital some years ago?" referring to the time the English and French took Peking and burnt the palace, The Chinaman beats the
appear to advantage in any difficulties witl world in making himself und. his country foreigners.
Thus far, all goes on quietly and peacefully, but @ centurion keeps a watchful eye over all the foreign property.
3rd November
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.