A Obéngtu, capital of Szechuan province, dispatch states that since Viceroy Hei Liang appointed the enlightened and very able T:.ot.i Tsai Nai-huang to take charge of ari reorganise the Chéngtu Arsenal six months ago, which had previously been going from bad to worse owing to the dishonesty and incapability of former officials, there has been a change all round for the better in that institution, In addition to infusing new life and energy into the administration of the Arsenal, Tsotai Tsai has ordered from Germany uew machinery for making rifles of the latest pattern to the number of over fifty daily. The contract for the machinery was signed last August in Germany through the Chinese: Minister in Berlin and it will probably reach Chengtu in a couple of months and be ready to work at the end of the year, The price of the new machiney is said to be about 700,000. With the additions thus made to the Chengtu Arsenal, Taotai Tsai will be able to supply all the rifles that may be wanted by the troops, not only in Szechuan but also in the Shen-Kan and Yun-Kuei provinces, the authorities of which have hitherto had to apply to the Arsenal either of Tientsin, Nanking, Hanyang, or Shanghai for arms in times of need.
Sir J. Lister-Maye's Concession.
The " Universal Gazette" learns that the British Consular authorities do not with Governor Cheng Haiin's contention that, owing to his failure in acting up to contract with reference to the opening of the mine at Tungkuanshan, Bir J. Lister-Kaye's concession should be cancelled. The reason given is that Sir Lister's agent had not only acted in accordance with Government mining regations but had also acted according to agreement. Hence the British Consular authorities have refused to give Ching Haun that the Mining Engineer, consent to the request of Governor
Mr. J. R. Duff, shall be ordered to leave the mine at Tungkuanshan.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.