The great news of the place, however, is that the energetic Commis. sioner, now here, has at last succeeded in securing not only building sites for the Customs, but the finest site in the place. It seems a shame that the old parade ground at the north-west corner of the city, the one breathing-space and view. point for all its crowded citizens, the place where we have so often mot one another to bewail our woes during our time of fortress in Chungking, should be enclosed; but if it were to be it is as well the Customs should have it. We all hope they will not throw away the beauty of their site by placing inadequate buildings upon it at unfortunate angles, asthe French have done with the, by nature glorious, piece of ground secured fora Consulate by Mr. Hans, and which has been so laid out that no one now seems to enjoy the view.
A Change Badly Needed, 25th February.
More Disturbance, A disturbance is reported at Chichiang, the first large town up the river—about two days' from here. Five hundred soldiers have been hurried off there. The Taotai is leaving for Yachou, somewhat in disgrace, and sadly grieved about it. We do not know who the new 'Taotai will be. This is all as it ever was.—The Chinese local Tien 'Tsu Hui has started a school in which all the girls will have to unbind. This' is indeed a change, River Lnprovement.
There is change upon the river. In old days people used to say: " How can you clear the rocks away, or make any improvements, for you cannot make the junks that pass pay a small toll, and so all would be free to profit by your penditure without contributing to Yet no more rocks have been blown away, and all the junks do pay dues, though it was thought it would be impossible to make them' pay, even for their own advantage. Each has a big number in white upon the stern to signify that she has complied with the regulations, and one wonders whether the money thereby sained pays for the extra syes reyttived to see that it is done, Child Labour.
Another sign, 1 suppose, ut progress -is j that there is so much other work for men to do, that it is women and little children who pull the boats up at many of the Rapids. The children swing their arms lustily about, walk in step, and shout ina sort of wild cadence; but as one sees the What. specially interests the general public, however, is that Mr. Watson has not only secured such a grand piece of ground for houses for the Commissioner and indoor staff, but also, a site for the office close by the Taiping Men, the most central and obviously most convenient site for the purpose, It now only remains to place the pontoon for examination of cargo somewhat more conveniently. At present we all find the process very tedious. We ourselves arrived in the evening, and hearing that even after 3.30 nothing could be examined until the next morning, and knowing that the process must then takea least two hours, the pontoon being on one side of the river and the office on the other, we walked up to our own house in the dark. Next day I went down about ten to see our things hurried through, being very anxious for a change of clothes, which I thought perhaps I might even be allowed to take before thewholeceremony was finished. Lo! and behold! There was the junk which had come all the way from Ichang so success cessfully, breaking its tow line at the rapid by which the pontoon is moored, and careering down stream. Ut was happily not wrecked at the very last moment with all our things on board. But mischances do occur. And yet junk has to get up just to that particular price te be overhauled in jureler to contribute proportion not ty the advancement of China, but to the Japanese-war indemnity. "It is to be hoped now at least some safer more convenient mooring-place may be secured, also some more convenient dwelling-place for the poor examiners, who, always think, must find their sojourn at Chungking nearly unendurable. Perched on a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.