We hear that there is a centre of local disturbance sixty miles to the north of us chou. A bend of robbers are collected n the neighbouring prefecture of Nansii-
there, in the immediate neighbourhood ut the city, and are terrorizing and robbing in the usual high-handed way. It is said that they hare come down from the south-era part of Shantung, and estimates of their number differ from four hundred to a thousand, the former being probably nearer the truth. Troops have been sent from the neighbouring districts, from Sheocheo, Huaiyuen, Fenyang, Sicheo, and Lingpi, to the number of thousand and_the officials think they have the affair well in hand. The robbers are said to be followers of Robin Hood in free-handed generosity to the poor and plundering the well-to-do. Here all is apparently in estate of settled pence. Many tell us, however, that China is ripening for reve: lution, "he literature of the reform party is being widely and ever more widely read, much of it very extreme in its teaching. Many of the young men are openly calling themselves members of the reform party even of the revolutionary party. Tf the Empress is reilly contemplating starting the work of reform she cannot begin too soon.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.