An interesting discovery was made on Saturday morning by the French Police, when, as the result, eight cases, each containing 2% shells were found, in most suspicious circumstances.
Situated on the French Siccawei Road, quite close to the creek bearing the same name, there stood, until a fortnight ago a house in large grounds known as the "Otto gardens. The address is 44 Siccawei Road, in the French Concession. Over a month ago there was an outbreak of fire at this house, which was occupied by Mr. A. Nielsen, with whom was residing an Austrian employee of the Shanghai Municipal Council. The fire, despite the attentions of the Fire Brigade, destroyed the house, but nothing' suspicious was noticed at the time. The company with whom the premises were insured asked the French Police to make inquiries into the fire, which they did, and as result discovered the ammuni tions. In addition to inspecting the house a thorough examination of the grounds was made, in the course of which, one pond, of number, came in for some attention Tt was here that an officer, probing with ick, found some hard substance submerged, and coolies, sen! in to fetch it out, brought back with them a fair-sized iron bound box, which' was eventually followed by seven others. Examination of the contents showed that each box contained twenty-five shells, brass cartridge and projectile, of Hotch-kis manufacture and of 65 m.m. projectile is solid, which in-use for naval purposes, imilar, save that it is somewhat larger, to that fired into the Settlement during the seizure of the Chinese cruiser Chaoho. It is the sort of shell that would be: useful for arming merchantmen.
Nielsen, who was present during the search and at the discovery, denied that he knew anything about the shells and expressed surprise that they should be found there.
The name of Mr. A. Nielsen occurred in connexion with the case tried at the Mixed Court, in October last, when three Chinese were charged with unlawfully keeping for military purposes, 129 pistols and 20,830 rounds of ammunition. The pistols were of the following different makes:—86 Baynard, 14 Mauser, 13 Colts, 33 Brownings, 4 Herrington and Richardson, 1 Sleyr, 1 Schsarzlose, 1 Express and 1 Savage.
One of the accused, who up to a month previous to his arrest was employed by Messrs. Garrels, Borner & Ca., as was also Mr. Nielsen, said that the latter asked
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.