in the interior are again causing much anxiety. We have many incongruous reports of very serious trouble near Paoting-fu: there ought to be little uncertainty, for we are in daily communication with the city by rail. The reports all agree that there has been a very serious loss of life among the native Roman Catho-lie converts; the numbers vary from forty to one hundred and fifty. One ghastly account has it that the Boxers surrounded the church while service was going on, fastened the doors and then roasted the victims to death; but happily there is reason for believing this is a grotesque exaggeration. There is great activity among the Ministers in Peking on this matter, they have all along been in personal correspondence with their co-nationals in the disturbed districts, and they well know how critical the danger is in' some places, and how widespread the disaffection really is. The French and German M ters have especially been kept well informed by their priests. Although all the foreign denominations are abominated, yet the Roman Catholics somehow manage to incur a more intense hatred. The French Admiral is on his way up, and the departure of the British marine guard from Tientsin has once more been countermanded by wire from the British Admiral. Half a battalion of soldiers was sent up this week to Paotingfu from the Taku forts and camps, so that the Chinese are clearly of opinion that affairs are serious.
We have not yet been able to identify the reports of these troubles with others that came early in the week—that the Boxers were active on the Lu-Lan railway route, and were causing some anxiety to the Belgian officials and engineers. The German engineers in Shantung have also had more trouble, and we hear of an attack on the Christians at Kaomi and the murder of the magistrate who tried to protect them.
In the neighbourhood of Hsiaochang, in Chihli, things have settled down A saa of nearly Tls. 5,000 has been disbursed the officials to make good the destrue-1 of houses, etc., effected by the Boxers ist winter. The situation has its most serious aspect in the continued absence of rain. Although rain has fallen in many parts of the province, there has in few cases been enough, and if famine obtains later on, there will most certainly be acute snd widely-spread sedition.
RE THE WEMTALWET.TROCBLE, the opinion obtains here that it might been obviated had an experienced Consul, who was also persona yrata to the Chinese, been sent to explain British intentions to the rustics. Our folks should have followed the old policy of the Indian frontier. The Consular official who is there is a most able and xeellent man, but as he is quite a junior and a stranger, he could hardly be expected to exercise considerable personal influence either with. the British military and naval men or with the natives. In all probability Sir Claude had not a man to send, as the service is very short-handed just now.
CHINWANETAO, It is reported that the Chinese Government now thinks of taking up this place, and of fortifying it as a naval base. This of course implies the construction of docks, arsenal, etc.; on dit that the able n officer who fortified Port' Arthur and Weihaiwei in the eighties will superintend the works. Admiral Yeh has been this month. aeeee ce See up in that quarter on an inspectii LI HSIAO-LIEN, the fraction who has played so great a part in the innermost circle of Chinese politics for the last twenty years is reported to be dead. He was supposed to be one of the wealthiest men in the Empire. Countless scandals and bits of gossip have been in circulation for yeaes about this man; the Chinese have delighted to scatter statements about his relations with a certain eminent person. I have some reason for thinking these reports were lies,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.