The troops still remain here, notwithstanding rumours to the effect that they wore to be drafted outside the Great Wall, and have their places supplied by a fresh ent. front Paotingfu. The men seem to have settled down now much more contenteilly. Some time ago desertions were said to be much too frequent, but drastic measures on those who were recaptured have had the proper effect. Five men ate reported to have been beheaded within the last few months. There are no more desertions now.
'A Novel Idea.
They have, however, devised a somewhat unusual chens: for directing people to the camp. Along the road that runs from the East gate of the city, on the walls of various temples and compounds, they.have Painted the figure of a foreign soldier. It" Comes on one somewhat as a surprise to meet a crude painting of x German or Jaese soldier standing to the salute, in a district so generally free from the actual presence of foreigners, other than mission= aries. Some three weeks ago, however, party of German soldiers, headed by " eaptain, spent some days in the city. The} were making surveys of the principal routes connecting with the railway; and had marched from Ch'angli over the hills to Yungpingfu.
Postal Notification No."41 comes into operation two days hence, Tt a great improvement on No. 40, although residents away feom the railway and coast are still to have the privilege of paying surcharge for their foreign papers and parcels, Your correspondent to point out to one of the postal authorities that those within say, twelve miles of the railway were taxed xs much as those who live in Shensi or Kanso, He was assured that some attempt had been made to devise a sliding scale, but that it had worked out 80 expensively for the distant brother, well as being likely to cause an inflrite amount of trouble in the central, offices, that the idea had to be abandoned. "Our retort was, that in that case we would consider No. 1 as a Christian Notification, fon the scriptural principle that " We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak," or translated into language suited to the case in point, " We that are near ought to help those who are distant." Your correspondent, from that point of view, does not, hesitate to give the hew tariff his benediction,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.