is well-nigh a failure, not more than half the usual harvest being reaped. As this is a wheat exporting region the failure of this crop will cause no little distress, though it is anticipated the autumn harvest may make up for the loss. There was an unexpected rain-storm on the 8th, which has put a different aspect on the fields. It is rare that the summer rain sets in so yut this has been an exceptional year both in the drought which preceded the rain, and the absence of snow throughout the winter. the loss through the fall of silver, the while collecting officials send only the tael of silver up to Peking.
10th June.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.