The cholera, which has been raging daring the past two months in the Yangtze Valley, has been specially fatal to those living' in Wachang. It i dificult to obtain reliable statistics, one report has it that in the three cities of Wachang, Hankow and Hanyang 30,000 people have died from the pestilence, but possibly, one-fifth of that namber would be correct.
In this city the greatest fatality was in the big camp near the East gate and amongst the people living in that neighbourhood. One company of 150 men is said to have lost seventy-five in one day. The benevolent halls that come to the help of the poor at such times with coffins and burial ground were unable to meet this great demand upon their resources. In some cases coffins were carried and left outside the city gate to the danger of all living in the neighbourhood. The officials, who throughout have acted in a wise way, had them removed: and orders were given to lock up any coolies who repeated the offence. The superintendent of police, one of the smartest officials in the province, pat out another notice forbidding the sale of stale fish and mineral waters, and pointing out the need of cleanliness. Medicine was freely given by the police to any who were attacked, and it is stated that one medicine has been exceedingly efficacious when administered at the beginning of the attack, The drag was put up by " local apothecary, was sold at 250 cash the dose and called Pi-ni-shan (§R #9 Bi). It contained musk, amongst other ingredients, and in one day the prosperous medicine-vendor took about $500. Rich people bought quantities which were put by to give to any who were taken ill in the bourhood, since to send for the medicine after the sickness had began would generally mean that it could only be obtained too late. For three days no pigs or sheep were allowed to be killed, and of course there was a sudden revival of religious zeal and attempts made to propitiate the angry idols.
But whiler little but praise is due to the officials and police, to us they seem tohave overlooked one grave cause of the heavy death-rate round about the parade ground. All through the year a black, horrid ooze may be seen stagoating down the side of the car-ringe road leading from the great camp inside the East Gate "in a deep, open gutter that is gradually undermining of the Camp wall, the drainage from the military quarters, and even the heaviest rains only succeed in flushing more ooze into the gutter. No wonder that where this drain passed, in s>me cases actually under the wooden pile-erected houses of the people, disease ravaged unchecked. One day we noticed an eating house which is situated by the very side of this death-drain. On the wooden pillars which supported the roof were hanging lumps of raw beef, covered with nasty flies. orion.
Our Viceroy, who does not trouble about many—thin, earnestly carrying on the anti-opium camp ai amonget the offices The provincial treasurer, we hear, is not too great lhe is a votary of P the man to escape visitation, and as to be moved. Officale great and small, he is shortly
who smoke, are allowed two months which to cure themselves. Besides promising to break off within the set time, they have to find friends to guarantee that they will do what they promise. If at the end of the two months they are still smokers, they are to be dismissed from Government employment. If they succeed in curing themselves, they are to be rewarded with some post. It is a fact to be noted that, for once, reform is to begin with those who have money and position. When the officials are themselves free from the habit, they will be able to enforce non-smoking regulations upon the people.
MILITARY MANGUVRER, Mr. Fery, the superintendent of police in the province, has been to Anhui to prepare for the autumnal manceuvres, The cost of these will be considerable and a large loan—it is said half a million tsels—has been borrowed from a foreign bank in Hankow. Stories from Anhui tell of many people migrating with all fr
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.