Chang Heun's men and local levies are having all they can do in two places in northern Kiangsu. One disturbed centre is 100 li east of Hsuchowfu, and one is eighty Li east of Suchien. East of Suchien the robbers are said to have 300 guns and with carriers are 500 strong. In one little section 200 homes have been looted recently.
A few days ago eighty soldiers who dared to take the field were surrounded in a village. The captain being a wise man lives to fight another day, Seeing that he was outnumbered he sent local men to make peace. One of the robbers came up and offered protection if they would go away immediately. He gave a guarantee of safe conduct and received a few cartridges and cigarettes as souvenirs 5 remarked in a friendly way: "We shall all be together in the Huang Tang soon. "(Huang Hsing party.)
Yesterday the robbers held the north bank of the Grand Canal eighty li east of Suchien and the soldiers were on the southern bank. There was much shooting. All this is ruinous to local trade.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.