General Li's forces Kaukong on October 21, that the robber leader M-Sam-king with many of his subordinates had hordes of their men entrenched on the hillsides, and were in charge of the market town. Fighting began the following morning when General Li's forces approached along. three routes. The robbers wer well armed, with modern rifles, and put up a stiff resistance." The soldiers on the left wing, however wore successful and drove the rob-bors back from their positions. The right wing was not 90 successful. The robbers were concealed behind barriers and could not be ejected so easily. After fighting for an hour and a half without any materi. al gain the soldiers withdrew for rest and consultation. Seeing this stronghold must be taken if an. advance was to be made volunteers were called for from the maxim squad and these with a dash rushed the robbers position and ed their objective. The defeated robbers retreated northward fighting as they retreated and burning the villages that they passed en route. It is stated that both lootirg and kidnapping were resorted to by the retreating robbers, At present fighting is still in progress, but as the country militia are league with the robbers the question of exterminating them isa most difficult one, Set a Thief to Catch a Thief For the past two years this entire district has practically been given over to the robber bands. While the rulers of the district and country militia strenuously profess to have exerted their utmost strength in the interest of law and order, still the fact that the robbers could make their headquarters in well-known market towns where they held scores of hostages for ransom, and whence they could travel to" the cities near by and even to Canton negotiate for ransom, and return again without being molested, shows how close has been the bond of friendship between the forces of law and order and the lawless bands of robbers who have been terrorize ing the entire district for the past two years.
It is to be hoped that the present effort may prove successful In ridding the country -of these lawless bands, but as long as authority and lawlessness are so closely united there is little hope of any per manent good being accomplished.
Toxvo, Nov, 10.—The Bist session of. the Tem spatial. Diet "wil! be eon
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.