Carefal inquiry to-day fails to bring anything new in the general sitaation in this section. What has become of the pirates who attacked the launches last Saturday morning no one seems to know, Romonrs are abundant, but reliable information is very scarce. A boatman on one of the small mail boats coming in from the southern part of the prefecture yesterday reports that he as many as twenty boat loads of the bandits in the neighbourhood of theca as pirates and highwayenen who Haiyen. He claims to have recognized
are robbing right and left throughout this section, but he did not tarry long to inquire too closely into who they were or what they were doing. News from Bohyuon, ton miles south-west from here, reports the people much frightened' by the appearance on the streets and in the shops of some of the now well-known bandits; they were only making some purchases, however, and did not molest any one, The country is 60 stirred up now that the people are frightened day and night, and no doubt their imagination makes them see robbers in many innocent people. The Chinese are saying today that one cannot leave home now st all and that it is best. for everybody to stay inside the cities for the present.
Your correspondent met a member of the gentry on the street this morning who informed him that the small town of Yuonho, in the Haining district, was invaded by robbers on Tuesday. They entered the pawnshops and made away with considerable property, but apart from terrifying the people did no great damage.
The troops of the 36th Regiment of the Peiyang army which were in the city for some days, have all gone to the neighbourhood of the attack on the steam-launches, part of them going on Sanday and part on Tuesday. Just where they are now and what their movements will be cannot be discovered.
With the country in such a condition other troops should be gladly welcomed by the people, though the officials might object to having to feed them.
Later.
Since writing the above I hear that shops were closed and business suspended in Bohyuon yesterday,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.