So far as we can as yet see, everything is very quiet and peaceable here. There is no apparent sign of trouble anywhere. The majority of Chinese care little who rules them, so that they have enough to eat and wear. But this quiet riy be duc: to the proximity of a strong Viceroy who is known to be favourable to foreigners. At the same time, the whole population here isa cobweb of secret (2) societies, some of which are said to be strong enough to dictate to the Viceroy. These societies are not, however, foa as is known, anti-foreign.
Itis known too that the natives are armed. They do not always make ita secret that they are thus supplied. This arming may be more for self-protection than for other reasons.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.