Robberies are getting more prevalent than ever, 1 have heard of 14 instances in this month alone. One, which occurred only a few days ago, took place 10 li from Chenyuan city where a large body of troops is stationed. It makes one wonder whether they can be in league with the robbers.
I learn from Mr. Hayman, who has arrived here, that the escort of 15 soldiers sent out to protect the goods he was bringing, kept to the rear, and in front of a band of opium merchants coming with silver to this city. For all the good they were, the soldiers might have been protecting these merchants who, of course, succeeded in getting their things safely out of danger. Whereas Mr. Hayman has suffered very considerable loss.
We have in this city an officer appointed specially for the suppression of robbers and holding the title of "officer commanding for the) suppression of robbers throughout the province of Kueichow." Every now and again his men bring in some poor wretches who are. called robbers and who are in most cases shot, but I afraid that, generally speaking, they are. just petty thieves, and not robbers in the sence generally understood.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.