No gunboat had been here until the day before the last two executions of officials. The day before 8. M. 8. Vaterland had come up to have a look see," under special orders from the Admiral that she was to retarn if there was nothing doing. As nothing was being done at the moment she retarned.
She was followed shortly by the! Snmide, On Thursday last while the: Samida was anchored here the Japanese mail boat Yusnkiang arrived. As the little mail boat was nearing the city she van roughly brought to" sand by yoing fired at by Republican soldier. One shot passed through the smoke stack, another through the cabin that was occupied by two gentlemen returning from Hankow. As one of the two was British enbject the British Consal made representations to the authorities aaa well as the Japanese, The authorities were thus enabled to choice of explana-boat bad not been fired at, the rifles were merely pointed in the air; the other was to the effect that orders had beea yn to be more carefal in the fature. The Sumida decked itself from stem to stern the following day in honour of the venerable and ever popular Emperor's birthday, On the same day she was joined by the Villslobos. The officers of the American gunboat expressed themselves view of the situation and of the panic stricken cry for gunboats of the fancy-residente of Changsha—some of whom were in China before these officers were born. It is a fact that the officers actually found some of the ladies and gentlemen at afternoon tea and regretting that the rain had spoiled their tennis,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.