Weihaiwei, March 9.
The past winter has been one of unusual severity, in fact we have had nothing like it since the winter of 1893-1894, the year of the China~ Japan War. The bay was frozen out as far as the lighthouse, There were some heavy falls of snow. Now we are having the usual March gales and sandstorms and the weath-
Quite s number of changes have taken place amongst residents, Dr. and Drs, Hickin are not returning, much to the regret of not a few residents. The new colonial doctor has not yet been appointed. Mr. and Mra. Platt have left recently for the We are shortly to lose Mr. J. Weeks. who has been recommended by Sir John Jordan for s commission in Kitchener's army. His career will be followed with interest by a host of friends, not only in Weihaiwei, but in many ports in the Far East, as he has filled his post here in charge of Messrs. Lavers Clark's business, with ability and his courteous and kindly ways have made him many friends. Mr. E.
Clark comes up at the end of this month to relieve him.
The Weihaiwei School has reopened with much reduced numbers on account of the war, but other boys are expected at the beginning next term, so there is hope that it is only " temporary reduction. The staff has been made up to ite usual strength by the arrival of a new master, Mr. Sinclair, and new matron, Mrs, Hooley.
Already rooms are being booked at the hotels on the mainland and the island, and it is likely that there will be a large number of visitors this summer, more especially on account of the changes at Tsing-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.