Inthe shipe of naval protection, we have four tiny, businesslike torpedo-hoare. These remain' mostly anchored off che Bund, every now and then taking a run out towards the bar.
'The Pilots' Examination came off in dus course, Captain Lawrence, formerly of Jardine's, being the lucky candidate, with Mr. Nuttall as provisional and next on tura to fill any possible vacancy.
Sport, has not been up to the usual mark, many having returned, after a day at the marsh, emp'yhanded. A party went up river and were fairly iccessful, returning with over geese, whilst snather party took th opposite direction, travelling up the Imperin] Chinese Railway line, but came back to town with only " few birds to their credit The Japanese Colony is increasing by leaps and bounds, it being estimated that over 7,000 Japanese civilians are now quartered in the town—Japauese hongs, merchant, commission, shipping, Japanese shops, barbers, greongrocers, butchers, bakers, stores, etc., etc, galore, builders, contractors—all busy Japanising this town.
Improvements to the Town are going on apace, the uew public garden being tastefully Laid out, in readiness for s brilliant display of colouring and foliage. The roads, having suffered from the heavy winter traffic, are being touched up; macadamising the old roads is about to recommence and a fine broad road out towards Niuchiatun is' well on the way to completion. ho unsightly galvanised iron barracks, built by the Russians opposite the Administrator's Residence, have been torn down and the material used to build fine new Market Halls all over the town. Old, unsightly, and unsafe buildings near the foreign end of the town, archeing condemned, rebuilding only subject to approval. Sanitary arrangements a being perfected. In fact, everything being done to give the old town of Nowchwang @ push in the right direction. An important trade centre, the poss ties of which are unlimited jin the to come, a port of call for home vessels, the Shanghai of Manchuris—such is our looked-for future, and so it will be, Trade, for the present, is confined solely to imports, beans, cake, skins, etc., not her able to find an outlet down to the port. But the building up of export trade again, is merely a matter of time, and in the days to come, after the war turnover never before dreamed of may be looked for.
Exchango—Promium on Sycee Tls. 11.50/12.50 por shoo, Transfer Tis, 1,000= Shanghai Ts, 860,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.