The towns on the bunks of the Han are more or less controlled by " military official who resides at Hsianzyang. The recently-appointed official is trying to reduc" the proverbial Iawlessuess of such places. boats is the ten adopted They arrive xudrise visits by specially-appointed gun-
wrenly after dark. The crews ars told off to search any seize any and everyone found in gambling or opium dens, ete. ~uch a visit was paid to the stati in our west bank suburb, The party lended and searched. The shrill sound of a police whistle was answered with a rush of men, banging of doors followed by protestations of culprits Tne weiyaan of the party was sven on the scene. Some of the-e surprised hu f-hour. A soldier in uniform was the number. An appeal to his superior resulted in that individual screening himself by pleading ignorance of his The Raft Merchants have had heavy sales of smaller trees. Many such rafta are being beached for use ae piles, in secoral places between "Fairy Peach Mart" and this city.
At one town foundations are already {dug for some good-sized breakwaters, which must be built t" save the washing away of a largo part of ita chief streets.
The Firewood Market, which has twice suffered severely by the freshets daring the last two years, is in an almost hopeless stite. There is not capital enough in the town or neighbour-from being washed away. It now forms a hood to effect Ox re needed to save it promontory upon th: east side of which, the wat-rs @ ming from the Upper Han must drive utu it disippeirs.
The New Ten-cash Pieces have suddenly become inst popular in the city. Some sh pkeepors are trying to mike ninety-eigh of them do for a thousand cash. Convenient in many ways. The innovation does away with cash strings. All the hemp grown can be exported. but it means less profit for small yrow-rs and no employ ut for the many women and children employed in the cash-string industry.
The Weather has been and still continues ideal for 1. The turnips, carte:, cab ige, and spinach being abunilant. The ploughing was followed by rains which male sowing early and satisf.ctory. Peas, beans, aid corn look well and _give promise of early and full crops. Weather being most favourable, the coolies with their Hankow goods trudging alow in wood numbers and good form. So as i- the sand which con tinues to bea ea! eon ty those who have
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.