The freon Tuesday (20th) night brokeont a dwelling-house in an almost blind alleyway off the T'sepoo Road. The origin has been traced to the setting on fire of a mosquito curtain by a naked kerosene oil light, which in tarn caught. other inflam mable material close by, The house was occupied by two families. The one occupying the upper "fluor, in their frantic efforts to escape, left. two children behind—one a girl of 12 months, the other a boy of four years—who perished in the conflagration, Upto Wednesday afternoon, though a keen search was instituted, their bodies had nor been recovered. The alleyway surrounding the houses was extremely narrow, and several Buropvans, including Mr. L. Moora, Chief Engineer, attending officially had very narrow escapes through the collops ug of fisiorings and roofs Some fourteen dwelling houses in all were destroyed and four partly by fre and water. The property, we understand, belongs to Messrs, David Sassoon Ca. The firemen had great dirt in locating the exact spot and obtai a stream of water to play upon fire; the hydrants were certainly not far, in a direct line, from the fire, but the means On Wednesday morning, General Voyron, wh" arrived here on Tuesday in the French niall steamer Océanien from Japan, with General Bailloud and a number of officers, held a reception at the French Consulate. A great many members of the French colony and their friends attented the reception, which passed off with the greatest success.
When the guests had assembled M. Ratard, the French Consul-General, in the cour-e of some remarks, spoke of the difficulties which had beset the path of General Voyron as Commander in Chief of the French forces. By his tact, by his prudence, and also by his ince sant vigilance, General Voyron had placed the French troops in China in " high and com-ug position amongst the allied forces fet in this part of the world for the purpose of avenging the cause of outraged humanity. The French colony of Shanghai therefore wished to show their gratitude and esteem for the way in which he had exercised his powers supreme commander of their soldiers that period of trouble. And in this te they would also include General Bailloud, and the officers and soldiers who had servet under his orders. In conclusion, M Ratard calle! for cheers for General Voyron and for the army, which were heartily given.
General Voyron thanked the company very sincerely for the honour they had shown him and the troops under command. During the forty years he had be-nin contact with the colonies of Fiance, he said, he had become convinced of the sincerity of the ardent patriotism of th= Freeh colonials to their country. In China the ardour and zeal of French missionaries, French business men, and French consuls and administrators of French law "had often come under his notice. He thanked them for their words of praise, on behalf of himself and the French expeditionary
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.