In an amusing letter from Tientsin, M. Gaston Donnet, the special correspondent of the " Temps," explains that the frequent quarrels amongst the international troops were due entirely to drink and idleness. "The fleet," he writes, "is lying quietly at anchor in Taku harbour, Admiral Pottier is composing Latin verses, his officers re playing cup and ball and the crews dominoes. When you land, you discover a similar state of warlike activity. The English artilleryman with his little round cap stuck on the side of his head, the German with his spiked helmet, the zouave, the French marine and the infantry soldier are all yawning. Yet Tientsin is multiplying its Seductions. The roads along the Peiho fare being macadamized, the city wall has been broken down, and there are lots of shops. They do not charge you more than eight shillings, which is a very reasonable price, for a pair of braces. The drink-shops have increased in a wonderful way. In ten minutes you can swallow four whisl sodas or four absinthes each in a different bar. I have questioned several of the proprietors of these establishments. They all say they have made from 25,000 to 30,000 dollars profit in eight months. ' And,' they all added in chorus, we should have done better still if the Russians and Americans
rin nah What fellows they are to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.