Harbin, Nov. 17.
Fifteen thousand packages, valued at Ris, 30,000, is Harbin's response to an appeal for "something" to give the Russian soldiers at the The collecting was done in a single day—Iast—Sunday—some twenty military transport wagons parading the streets, and everybody who wished to contribute had merely to drop his or her present into one of these wagons. All packages were promptly tied up, th: contents consisting of all kinds of articles, such shirts, sweaters, gloves, socks, teu, sugar, tobacco, cigarettes, chocolate", jam, ete., ete., and five postal cars have been requisitioned to send this large quantity of oddities to the front. A week's notice was given to everybody in order to prepare their presents, and it is hoped that these will reach the front in another three weeks, The organizers are to be congratulated for th quick and business-like manner in which they have handled the matter.
Here is an illustration of the g2n-ersity of the average Russian. A moujik seeing the procession of wagons inquired of a neighbour what it was all about, and no sooner had he got the reply than he took} off his warm, furred high boots and tying them together threw them into the wagon, remarking that no doubt some soldier would find them useful. He himself quite unconcernedly had to tramp home bare-footed, with th temperature well under There is but little business being) done in Manchurian exports, and last season. With plenty of Chinese prices are just half what they were
ing to sell, certain foreign and Japanese firms ar> buying in small quantities, but as long as banks are unable to give exporters and others the usual facilities, business must necessarily be restricted. ing firm has just passed away in The head of @ prominent. export-Harbin, I refer to Mr. M. D. the sale of all intoxicants in Harbin is not definitely known, bat never. theless the whole thing is becoming a bigger joke day by day. Russian subjects have actually trans-red their spirit distilleries from inside the railway area to Chinese terri tory proper, where they are absolutely unmolested by the Chines authorities. Hotel and restaurant keepers who will not supply their customers with drinkables bare found that their takings become infinitesimal, so that to confine to live they must sell liquor and defy the temporary regulation, Prosecutions by the police for the offence of ing intoxicants sre most rare, but some of small Chinese storekeepers have been made to feel the hand of the lay, It is to b> feared the actions of the police in this respect are not wholly above suspicion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.