Aug.
The accounts that are coming in seem to show that Yang Sen has met with such reverses as will bring about his collapse. His troops. are all hurrying westwards from here Song-yao is taking pos-ion of each city as they retre The story of the retreat of his brother's troops from here is no> good. Ten thousand dollars were extracted from the people with threat that if it were not forthcoming there would be looting.
Another story seems more like 'a chapter from the Three Kingdom novel: Two brothers in his army, a colonel and the other a divisional commander. The colonel gave Yang Sen advice that his front was too extended, it would be well to draw ina bit.' Yang (the story says) took his pistol and shot the man deed saying: "that for everyone who breathes retreat." Of course the other brother went and joined the otter side. These things shew that China's fighting methods are the same as 2,000 years ago, As far as foreigners are concert ed the situation is easier. Mon can be got, and there is not s0/ much need to fear the necessity of leaving. The people are all very friendly. The new official took up office here yesterday.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.