There is no mistake but our Grim Old Mar. is clever. He knew all about the savage proceedings of Li Taotai in Hokiapu, but had not a word of fault to find. He quietly received the outrageous depositions got up by the Macheng magistrate and his colleagues, and simply suggested a few alterations by.way of improvement, No sooner, however, are they found guilty of the crime of treating foreigners in a friendly fashion than they are reprimanded and punished at once. Thus HE. contrives to score right and left with the same shot. Should there be any question raised as to why he condoned the unjust proceed. ings of his magistrates in the Sungpu case, he can point to this as a proof that he did nothing of the kind. On the other hand, should any magistrate be in doubt as to how foreigners ought to be treated, such an one will be warned by this not to be err on the side of friendliness." It seems Ya Taotai still holds a commission to take in hand the case, but he is in no hurry to begin. All concerned seem to be waiting to do something.
'A. CONTRAST, I extract the following from your issue of the 27th:—" During the night, a thief entered the government inn of' Chiench'anghsien and stole a valuable official necklace belonging to the assistant examiner. As neither necklace nor thief have been discovered, the magistrate has been removed from his post. for not taking better care of the property of the Imperial commissioners." It would therefore appear that all the anti-foreign riots and massacres we have had in these recent years are of less" importance, in the eyes of the native high authorities, than one official necklace, for as yet they have not thought it necessary, of their own accord, to remove any official from his post for not taking better care.""
St October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.