We have been favoured with the following letter for publication Newchwang, 3ist March.
Dear De. ParkeR,—Since the great detent ut Makden and the advent of spring' there has been a movement homer of many of ur refugees, and several thousands who were on way to Kuangaing, when they heard of the Russian retreat northwards, returned to their villages. We had burch sed a oonsidersble quantity of grain For their use at Kuangoivg. and arrangements hive been made to follow them to they may need in the way of food. their howes a-d ford them what help have also purchased 5,000 "dan" of grain, sufficient to feed some 70,000 wo-meu and children for a mouth. rangements are now being made tribution in the more needy districts.. Hitherto we have confined our efforts to the sheltering and feeding of refugees, but as I have pointed out before, the repatriation of these refugees requires help from some source. Remember they have lost everything in most cases—houses, cattle, grain, fodder, farming implemente—Sverything. In our Red Cross refuges we have some 13,000, chiefly women and hands or legs shattered with tampering with the unexploded shells or hand des." Dr. Christie appeals for medici and surgical dressings, and I enclose li-t wants.
A letter from Kaiyuan dated the 24th instant has just been received. It came by special. messenger vis Fakunéa ant Hsinmintnn. As you way remember we made arrangementa several months ago for refugee aid work being done in Kaiyuan if necessary, and Dr. Muir had everything in readin-s for emergencies. Some extracts from Dr Mair's letter may be of interest. From Sunday 12th March till Thursday aight the 16th of March the Russianx were retreating in great numbers. rh quiet in demeanour no order be observed in the march, Bands of men without officers, groups of officers without men, men with arms and men without arms, cavalry, infantry, ud transport, "li mixed up. Some men were starving, bought or begged food on the street. Some wounded dropped out and came to: me for dressing, One doctor to a dragoon, regiment (attached to the western a*my) who had lost his equipment in the confusion, got a supply of drugs and dressing; From Thursday the 16th until Saturday night the retreat way orderly sod without confusion, The depot at Kai-yuan station waa fired on the 16th and took three deys to burn. T i on the 17th, and come up to the standard of army. As for amateur performers nothing under @ very high degree of talent and coiture will pass muster. Nevertheless I think the majority of folks are quite content with the present ruling of: Muni cipal affairs, even if the rubber-tyred system it is ran on is little expensive, and there is every-reason to be enormously proud of our smart Volunteer corps, each section of which isa distinct credit cordant note it is, being nothing more or Jess than the almost universal condemnation of some personal references to ladies that have recently "appeared in the columns of a contemporary under the heading "Shanghai as it is." Indeed it is well that the writer's identity is not known, as I believe several people are wishful of making his acquaintance, with jew to arguing the various points of his criticisms, and I am told there is quite a big crowd of folk who would appreciate the honour of holding the coats of the "several people," which indicates that chivalry is not as dead as some folks say it is, and suggests children, representing probably 3,000 beh: homes, The Governor-Gens ral has three that "Shanghai as it is not" would be a more suitable title for the aforesaid times as many of the same class. How writer's contributions, more especially with regard to the references made con-they are to begin life again is a serious question. I have letters and telegrams corning the ladies who took part in the from Mukden on the subject, but I am mandeered. His neighbour was shot dead last Ladies' Paper Hunt. waiting for the arrival of the men from on the spot, and he himself was shot in The Lancastrian Dace, the south to confer with them before one place and bayonetted in seven-I regret that I was unable to be teen different places. He had " wound taking any steps.
Wextwater has found great difficulty of the present at the dance given by the for a night and a day. and then was carried lung, and lay in the open Lancastrian Society on Tuesday last at in getting relief work done in the des-the Masonic Hall, s from all accounts in here only parately needy districts north and west refuges are fall, over three hundred, it must have excelled the unqualified of Lisoyang. igtioodare jess atringont there la likely to "The inmates belong for the most part to success of all- former functions of the the amall farmer whose homes have same kind which have been given by the be more freedom of movement. his been rendered untenable by the itary. [little band of enterprising Lancastrian last letter Dr. Westwater monte ed that Many of them require nothing bat.]1 am told that the decorations the Liaoyang refuges were sill crammed The question of housing these folks is a quite the prettiest on record—which is tothoirutmont ca pect oatly with women very dificult matter. Our town is "mall. saying much, as I have a distinct re-and children. Ho al empty houses are hard t" find, or if membrance of the artistic effect attained men to remain except for found so much is required to muke last year—and everyone who was prosont until they get s"me work them habitable, Like the inmates of our seems to agree that the dance was in at present there is no refuges, few need food, all need shelta every.other respect remarkably enjoyable. coolly labour in Lixoya I saw the magistrate yesterday, and he Indeed I have heard it, said that it was there is ix well paid. But everything is at also la doing his best for between two and famine prices just now, so that the com-far more so than some of the big dances three hundred. Meantime we ars domy tively big wage of the coolie goes no thencin ordinary times, if as far. what we can. We have no news from given earlier in the season by more Tiehling or Changta, hsing practically cut, important societies, a fact that is per hay Of course some wen and many merchants off from everywhere." worthy the notice "of the St. Patrick's pave made fortunes; for ite ay ill wind An important Intter has just come to Society, which has not included Indies that blaw" naebody good." From advices hand from Mir. Inglis, relative to the pro-in any of its annual function for many fiom Mukden written immediately after bable needs for repatriation purpose. I years past, on account of the limited the battle we learn that daring the fort-shall send the purport of it in a few days.
Dumber of the members and the re-night ending the 13th ut March there had Meanwhile let this lative expense. At least that is the Peon one continuous stream of refugees Your faithfully, reason which was given to me by a pouring into our hospices, until our num-bare reached 10,000. Of, three Pree
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.