The even tenour of our way was yesterday evening disturbed by the very unusual occurrence of an earthquake, so severe as to justify the expectation of its having been felt, over a very: large area. About 7.15 p.m, there occurred a somewhat unaccountable rattling of the paper windows of the room where a friend and I were sitting reading. The supposition that a strong wind had suddenly sprung up was soon dispelled by very unmistakable tremors of the ground, whilst the air seemed 'o be more or less filled with unwonted adventitious noises. We soon found ourselves in the open air, the ground swaying under us as does the deck of a ship in a swell, and indeed the whole house seemed like a ship when the hanging lamp inside began to swing with a range of a foot or so. The motion for some five minutes was distinctly in waves, which gradually got less and less pronounced, until all was quiet again, much to vho relief of all of us. We hear that at Hungtung, some 20 miles north of this, there were several shocks, which finally ceased about 9.30 p.m: Both here and there the only ser-itis damage was that done to walls none too strongly built, though in the city here the porcelain ball at the top of the Drum Tower was dislodged, and came down in. fragments. A pendulum clock in our house was stopped by the oscillations, The rumour here is that some considerable damage to houses has been done in Shanghai.
A Wipe Area Arrecrep, Kiangchow, Shan., Dec. 17.
Last night about eight o'clock, this district was visited by a very severe earthquake shock. For over five minutes houses swayed continously, the earth vibrated and an ominous roll was heard. All hanging pictures on the walls were swung to one side and suspended lamps continued to swing for several minutes after the general motion had subsided. During an hour afterwards there were renewed slight tremblings from time to time. Up to the present we have heard of no fatalities. but the upheaval was greater than any felt here for many years. The Chinese say that such occurrences betoken good harvests!
The School strike continues, and: we hear that delegates have been sent to the capital. The people generally seem to take no interest in what they look upon as merely a students' affair.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.