13th May. Equally Helpless. so that the condition of the Manchurian officials seems to be pitiable indest. In the meanwhile the latter and their people are at the mercy of Russians and Corean malcontents alike and whomsoever possess firearms, for the Chinese troops are only armed nowadays with swords and spears and perhaps a few bows and arrows.
Vnrest in the Yangtze Valley.
A dispatch from Nanking emanating from a reliable source, states that the Viceroys of the Liangkiang and Hukuang provinces have lately received secret information of a proposed simultaneous rising of the secret societies in several towns in the vicinity of the Yangtze river. In consequence of this, a large number of civil and military' officials have been deputed to make careful enquiries about the anticipated risings and as some of the principal leaders of the movement are known to the authorities search is being made for them.
Expected Retirement of a High It is reported in local Mandarin circles that General Li Chan-chun, Commander-in-chief of Lower Kiangsu and the Nanyang Squadron, and commanding the troops and forts at Woosung, has presented a memorial to Viceroy Wei-'Kuang-tao for presentation to the Throne asking for permission to resign owing to illness. It is rumoured that differences between himself and certain high officials of this province have caused General Li to send in his resignation, but Viceroy Wei is only willing to allow the General four months' sick leave, and has accordingly memorialised the Throne thereanent. necking Locomotives from th The " Universal Gazette" publishes a report to the effect that Japanese agents are in the U. S. purchasing. locomotives and other railway materials which are intended to be used on the Manchurian Railway, and gives the opinion' that the Japanese apparently are so sure of capturing that line that they are already preparing for the emergency An Imperial Sitter.
The Empress Dowager, according to a Peking letter, sat the other day to a Japanese photographer, and itis reported has given the latter permission to sell- her photographs to the public. Her Majesty, itis stated, has been led to do so by hearing the wife of a certain foreign Minister say that the Emperors and Kings of Europe allow their, photographs to be sold to their subjects, who always place their sovereigns' portraits. in, the most honoured position in the household.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.