EPIDEMIC, The statement of our special correspondent at Kashing to the effect that twenty Japanese sailors had accompanied the Hangchow boat-train on Sunday was based, we are courteously informed by the Japanese Consulate-General, upon a misunderstanding. At the request of the Shanghai Taotai Mr. H. Eitski placed a steam launch belonging to the Japanese Company at the disposal of the Chinese troops, a forty-six of these went on board. They were accompanied by a few Japanese, the Captain and the petty officer of the The Wel. Herald and 5. C & C. Gazette. gunboat Sumida, representatives of the Launch Company snd a policeman from the Consulate. There were no Japanese sailors on board, and the whole party returned to Shanghai on Monday night.
We understand that the escape of the pirates was facilitated by the custom vogue in China that the troops of o province may not cross the provincial border into another until certain formalities have been observed. This may account for the inactivity of the provincial forces, until the pirates had made good their escape; bat we are inclined to think that the fault mainly lies with the absence of any adequate military intelligence service. From the account which we publish below of the outrage League, on our Soochow correspondent, it will be noted that the attack on his houseboat took place within striking distance of a regiment of foreign-drilled troops.
It is satisfactory to learn that Excellency Jui Cheng, late Tsotai of this port, has been appointed to take charge of the operations against the pirates. We shall hope to hear that energetic and practical measures are now to be taken to clear all neighbouring waters of these dangerous freebooters.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.