Besides the great fire at Hankow which has already been chronicled in your columns there have been a largo number of smaller fires there. The people have begun to be alarmed and numbers of the wealthier house~ holders and shopkeepers have packed up their goods and gone away to the country. Wicked rumours have been freely circulated stating that the fires. were instigated by the foreigners who wished to enlarge their Concession and who had offered rewards to any who would start a fire.
'There were rumours that a'big' row would take place last night (20th of October), but everything passed off quietly. The native officials and foreign Consuls are on the alert and no trouble is feared. It is quite possible that some fires are the work of incendiaries, but the long spell of dry weather will perhaps account for many. The wonder is that there are not more in a city the houses, which are built of wood and inhabited by people who are most careless with their lights, 21st October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.