Fancheng, 17th February.
A Geographical Party, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Manifold, the next in command being Captain Barnardiston, has just passed through here. Thoparty was accompanied by the Rev. Gilbert Reid, D. D., who acted a8 interpreter, and Mr. C.G. A. Nix as naturalist. The party was done all the honour in the power of our local authorities. The evening ai the arrival, though after dark, the prefect came over the river to the hotel to see that the party were made as comfortable as possible. The next day he sent over two green chairs for the Colonel and Dr. Reid to-make their official calls in. Also a detachment of cavalry and infantry with foreign bugles. were detailed to form the escort.
The following day calls were paid to the magistrate, prefect, Taotai, and Major-General.
At each place a little reception ing them. In the afternoon return visits were paid at the hotel, and when the party left on the third day they were escorted out of the city.
News of the War has reached us. Private telegrams to the prefect and Major-General Hsia from H.E. Yuan Shih-kai and H.E, Tuan Fang of Wuchang say that war began at Port Arthur on the 11th January and that eight Russian ships were sunk and twenty (probably merchantmen) taken prisoners by the Japanese, and that three Japanese vessels wore sunk. The sympathy is all with Japan. The war does not in the least affect foreigners in the interior.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.