The disturbed condition of the southern part of the province, reported in a former! letter., has passed over. The trouble did not last long. It was only a summer's day irritation. The origin is still shrouded in mystery. A private letter gave yamen oppression as the cause. The sufferers allied themselves with the Kolao Hui and gave the officials a spell of uneasiness. The people generally were much alarmed. Distant hsiens were looking to their walls, and the residents were preparing to imitate the prodigal son by gathering together their portion of goods and emigrating into a safer and more congenial part of the country. Whether this was a more intensified form of a general, state of discontent is uncertain, It is, however, evident that highway robberies and banditti are very general and], cause widespread anxiety day and night. This year foreign ladies have been attacked in the open day and their luggage rifled; one foreign house at least has been attacked, and recently within five miles of the provincial capital on the main road to Tientsin, in mid-day, with travellers continually passing, a small military official was dragged from his cart and brutally murdered. The murderers have not yet been caught. The lapse of time it is feared gives no promise that they will be brought to justice.
The Passing of the Examinations.
The elimination of the usual examinations from the liter ary life of the people in likely to work great changes and modify opi largely. The decree hus already affected the students, There has been great increase in the number of applicants for admission into the Shavsi university, and the other colleges: in the city. The students in the outside districts who, as a rule, do not come into contact with the residents in the cities, are also feeling the change and showing amore friendly attitude. Tie result of the summer term examinations "in the western branch of the college had much to do too in arousing the scholars from their lethargy. When it was found that twenty-five out of twenty-six, the full number examined, obtai oda degree, people began to understand that the pursuit of mathematics and kindred subjects might be useful as well as honourable. These students who passed here.will soon proceed to Poking for a test examination. They underwent two here, one by the college staff, and the other by the Governor and the hsuebtai, so they should be well amined after the Poking turn. Here they wore examined ix a large number of subjects, and the standard would correspond to the matriculation of the London university, with a difference that a larger range of subjects was set here, The authorities have established another school this term. It is to be called "the Elementary Military School." Every county has to supply two efficient scholars. They must be under eighteen years of age, of good constitution, and able to lift! with one hand 75 Ibs. Two hundred scholars have been accepted after examination. They may come' up to requirements in other respects, but in age, many' have passed the specified time, Anyhow it is not often boys of eighteen with moustache are met with in China, They will receive free board and tuition, There is some difficulty in obtaining efficient teachers.
The western department of the college has secured the services of an efficient instructor for drilling the students. It is satisfactory to some that he belongs to the British army: The students have been trained in the German way, in the past, under a Chinese instructor. The work was not very efficient, and already there is a marked improvement under new methods and a new man, 1
Local Government, The old Governor will soon leave us for his new post in Hunan, The time has been too short for him to have accom-
important work for the advancement of plished any big reform otto initinto any the province, And it is difficult to think that the provincial authorities can possibly undertake the responsi of any large works so long as the present methods of government remain unchanged. Within the last three years every member of the executive here has hanged at least once, The high who have been here have just had time to make their journeys, learn the routine of office, and possibly, in some time to recover the cost of an nterviow in Peking, and initial expenses, when they are called to go. elsewhere. should be remembered that this arrangement has certain advantages and is found possibly to be very Incrative to the Peking bureau. In x certain way too it keeps the people from being overburdened with constant demands for money, for local improvement, which authorities with a longer tenure of office would be likely to impose upon them, Farther it would possibly moan that the people would lose much of their demo. cratic spirit and the independency they at present enjoy under the paternal Government of Peking wore the provinces saddled with the rule of a permanent However there would be comnlightoned and capable man, And China will either have to alter the present tenure of office held in the provinces, or the Peking Government, will have to initiate and carry on a contiimous policy for the improvement of the whole Empire. It is doubtful how-is would be possible for such a large Empire, and the sooner they do the other the better. It is not easy to consummate reform on present lin
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.