It was reported in local mandarin circles yesterday that Mr. Uchida, Japanese Minister in Peking sent the other day a dispatch to the Waiwupu asking the following question:—" Port Arthur will soon fall into our hands, in which case I am instructed to ask the Chinese Imperial Government whether China is ready to take over the place, or leave it to the Japanese army to hold on behalf of China."
Prenez Garde.
It is reported from Peking that the Wai-pupa has received a telegram from Hu Wei-te, the Chinese Minister at St. Petersburg, warning Government that from certain indications he is of the opinion that a lange body of Russians at Irkutsk have received instructions to be ready to march southwards and perhaps occupy both Chinese Turkestan and Kansu.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.