When irrigation and communica tions facilities are afforded the settlers, the area will certainly develop into a wonderful farming country. It has been demonstrated that righted lands in the north west are well adapted to wheat, Darley, potatoes oats, peas, beans, and linseed. Not only will the sue-cess of the experiment relieve the pressure of life in the interior provinces, but it will also add considerably to the agricultural wealth of the country. The new means of transport, moreover, will bring the surplus within reach of the world' markets. Linseed is an example of the way that communications have developed a trade which before their advent was almost entirely restrietced to domestic consumption. The linseed trade should leap ahead when additional transport facilities are available, and encouragement has been given to cultivation. Liquorice is another example of the sume artificial stimulation. The penetration of these potential productive areas by road and railway is bound to create trade in many ether commodities as well. And purchasing power will grow with the transformation of the territory, not only in the area itself but i those parts of which can be ranging to send a staff officer the bandit camp as a hostage for Dr. Howard, according to a telegr to the American Legation to-di from Harbin.
Tt appears that the bandit chief who was expected to arrive at Huachuan last week in order to enter into final negotiations for the release of Dr. Howard changed his mind.—Reuter's Pacific Service.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.