Chi, roused, it is reported, at last to des-petition is busily enrolling 7,000 troops in his province, to protect himself from Russian ill treatment. The Tartar General is sud to have plenty of modern magazine rifles and ammunition; these weapons, etc., having been secretly placed away out of the know ledge of Russian spies, and will be ready for use as soon as his recruits are enrolled and ready "for business."
23rd March. Reported Abandonment of Port Arthur.
It was reported in local Mandarin circles yesterday to the effect that Port Arthur has been practically abandoned by the Russians and that only an insignia ficant guard now holds the place " for appearance sake." It is also stated that round about Dalny and Talienwan the region there is thickly surrounded by Iand mines connected by long fuses anticipation of a Japanese landing. It is expected that if once these fuses are set alight the mines will simply annihilate any landing force.
Raising Funds for Army Reorganisation.
It is reported from Peking that under the recommendation of Sir Robert Hart, especial decree from the Throne to the Viceroys of Chihli, Liangkiang, Szechuan, Two Kuang, Min-Che and' Hukuang provinces has been sent commanding them to set about at once the business of reorganizing the land and poll taxes within their several jurisdictions as by this method alone can there be hopes of obtaining sufficient funds to carry through the reorganisation of the Imperial Armies, a matter of supreme importance to the Empire in the present juncture.
The Introduction of Chinese Labour into S. Africa.
The Peking Government has been advised by the Chinese Minister in London that there is a hitch in the negotiations regarding the introduction of Chinese labour into South Africa, a scheme which, for the nonce, may fall through after all. The Minister therefore advises the Throne to issue stringent orders to the various provincial authorities that under no circumstances are, any Chinese labourers to be allowed to leave China for South Afrien until a convention has been definitely settled between the Chinese and British Governme Phe Russians in Moukden, {are reported by the awénpao" to have compelled by force a number of Chinese women of that city to serve as nurses in the military hospitals recently established there. The same paper tates that news has been received that the Russian Commissariat whose headquarters have hitherto been in Port Arthur, were suddenly removed on the 10th instant to a place distant thirty versts from Port Arthur.
Russians on the Western Banks of the Liao.
A North Chinchou dispatch states that on the 12th instant " body of about 150 Russians crossed over from the eastern to the west er banks of the Liao river and entered the villages of Laotatz ete., in the vie where they commandeered from the people all the cattle, mules, horses, and grain cues could get hold off. "The wonder of it was that although Colonel Chang Tso-lin with 600 men was encamped near by no utlen no was made to stop the depredations or to Arive the unwelcome strangers over the river.
24th March, The War.
News was received yesterday by the local mandarins to the effect that Japanese troops were in great force at Anju (Sinico, Anchou) and also at Pingyang (Sinico, pinghsiang) on the 18th instant. No tw.
rd movement was xt that time apparent, the Japanese commanders seemingly still waiting for further reinforcements. before such movement general. No less nine skirmishes were, however, reported Japanese outpasis and Russian scouting to have taken place up to that date between peditions which had ventured across from the Manchurian frontier, the balance of the several results having been generally in favour of the Japanese in spite of inferiority in numbers. It is stated, however, that since then nicely B ie coted ambushes have been made by the Japanese for the reception of any more attempts of the Russians to show their faces in the vicinity of the former's present outposts.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.