4 is of daily occurrence and as the robbers are hardly ever punished, the situation is daily becoming more serious. During the past week I know of different places where organised raids have been made by some hundreds of the Sword Society, upon rich natives, All of these are within four seven miles from the capital city. Our prefect is very capable, but he is powerless to suppress this lawlessness while the majority of his runners and soldiers are in league with the outlaws. As soon as the political situation is generally understood these Societies we may look for very serious times indeed. If China is to be areelled out among the nations the sooner it is done the better. Chaos will reign for a time, and then these raids will spread everywhere. It is reported upon good authority that in the countries west of here, and north-west, the majority of the population are
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.