Anking, Feb. 27.
'There are some people in China; who have never seen some of the modern implements of war. But we have had here a two months' visit of a Tank Corps, under the! supervision of Mr. S. D. Chant, who "did his bit" as a volunteer in the Naval Brigade during the war. The corps were sent here to build a tank, and it is now completed.
To foreigners and Chinese alike, the gradual coming together of the thing was wonderful. Such a thing! had never been seen here before, and while many foreigners may have seen tanks, it is questionable! how many have had the pleasure of watching one being built.
All the material was sent here by boat, and only the assembling was done at this place. It is to remain here for the protection of the oil belonging to Socony. In fact, that is what it was built for. It is 23 by 25 ft., so it should be able to hold enough to supply the whole city for a day or two.
The whole thing took about two months, and Mr. Chant was a welcome addition to our small community during that time. Is the erection of this tank the shadow of the coming event, the opening of Anking as a free port?
Cavsaces aNp Kins.
For some time there was a great longing for snow or rain, because the wheat and rape seemed to be almost dead for lack of moisture. The snow came, and we had more! in one month than we sometimes) have had in the course of a winter. The farmers wore smiles when it began, but the smiles became smaller as day after day the snow! and cold continued. A few days' sunshine would have been a pleasant change. It is always unfortunate for merchants when the last days of the year are wet and cold. Their New Year business suffered considerably from the weather.
Towards the end of the year "Chinese) rumours were again float about an attempted restora-ion of the monarchy. The chief monarchy man" of the rumours seemed to be Chang Tso-lin. What!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.