It is very dificult to get reliable news from Sungpu just now, but I believe the following items are fairly correct. Li Taotai has arrived at that place, and along with the Macheng magistrate has begun an inquiry into the riot. He is lodged in a temple, and great pains ave being taken by the district authorities to secure his comfort, and to feed him sumptuously. It is of the first importance for them to secure his good report, and as honest straightforward Li Taotai has a weukness for good living, they feel that they will "fare all the better at his hands the better he fares at theirs. There is no disturbance in the Sungpu neighhouthood, but everything goes on as us tial, save in the limited circle directly affected by the riot. Li Taotai has invited Li chung to come and assist him in the investigation. This is the gentleman who both before and since the riot has been accused of being the prime mover in it. He is a broken-down, blue bution, military mandarin who saw % good deal of service in the rebellion times, but through his own bad conduct has for some years been reduced to the necessity of living on his wits. The result of the investigation thus far has been a resolution to hold the few natives who rendered any assistance to our murdered brethren responsible for the whole affair. They reason logically enough that if natives had not assisted them they could not have been in Sungpu, and if they had not been in Sungpu they could not have been killed there, therefore the friendly natives are guilty of their death, 'These few natives, however, have all run' away. Several of them have taken refuge in the Conce sion here. Up till now Li Taotai has b able to lay hands on only one, a poor coolie who acted occasionally as messenger and water-carrier to our brethren, and who considered himself secure in his insignificance. Him Li has laid hold of, and after gi him 1,200 blows has locked him up securely for future use. Friends of his have come down pleading that we should interfere in his behalf, but nothing can be done by for the crime of carrying water to a mission-anybody—the poor fellow may lose his biend ary! These things are hardly credible, and yet they appear to be perfectly true. However, in afew days we shall have thoroughly reliable information.
1th July.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.