Peking, Aug. 1.
Due to the generosity of Director-General of Aviation making a large passenger aeroplane available, and to the no less commendable action of Mr. W. G.
Northridge, who undertook to' act fs pilot (in spite of the fact that ater on in the day he inaugurated undation at once if the suggestion to breach the dykes of the Hai at certain points near were carried cut. Expert opinion is that if they can manager to fight back the flood waters. for the next three weeks they may be able to escape with little damage to their property, but if, ati the other hand, the river passenger service to Peitaiho), party of ten, including Famine Relief Commission and Chibli River Commission officials, several corres-Pohdents and a cinematographer, Were this morning given what may accurately be described as an armchair view from the air of the should burst its bounds, then their fate will be worse than if the dykes had been allowed to be breached when the suggestion was first put forward some time ago. At all events, the people themselves seem quite determined to take a chance on it, however long the odds may flooded areas between here and be.
Not the whole of the area under water was sgen-~ that would take considerable longer than the two and a half hours which the party spent in the air this miorning—but the _reconnaisance Tien(sin's Surroundings The precarious situation of the Red Bridge at Tientain was clearly seen and it was noted that in this vicinity there were several houses was wide enough in extent to give al partly under water, In the great-very fair view of the general Jer part of the area of several situation. hundred square miles passed over The investigators were fortunate this morning most of the house: in having with them Mr. S. Eliason, seemed to have escaped this fate. of the Chihli River Commission, who This is due to the fact that nearly made a special trip down from all the villages in the big river jen tsin last night and brought basins, where the threat of foods with him an armful of charts and is a constantly present one, are maps, Others specially interested Duilt up on prominences which in the results of the tour were have now, in most instances, be-Messrs. W. H. Mallory and F. 8, cone islands between which' the Djang, Executive Secretary and As only possible communication ix by nociate Executive Secretary, respect means of sampans. ively, of the China International The railway lines seem to be in Famine Relief Commission, Peking. no immediate danger although for After a perfect take-off from many miles the water is lapping, anyuun at 9 o'clock the plane flew along the foot of the embankmenix over General Feng Vu-hsiang's sides. One of the moat camps, and followed along the the Mooded areas ix the Peking-Mukden railway as far as basin ofthe Ta Ching Ho whicl the outskirts of Tientsin, 'Turning though the aeroplane merely to the westward, it then followed ko the Hai Ho up' to Yang-lu-ching Even an aerial survey of the affect and returned ed would take probably down the Tientsin-Pukow several day, "but ig was" evident Thence it made the journey back to this morning' that the farmers in Nanyuan by much the same routo[the Peking-Tientsin district are that was taken on the trip out. roing to have x pretty hard time Precautions Against Breaking of it this year and most likely next of Hai Ho Dykes year as well. Owing to drought word which' sounded strangely Soon after the Peking-Mukden the ears of those who saw the vast railway had been picked up the inundation this morning) the spring break in the dyke at Ho-lu-crops were poor; in many eases it seen to the westward.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.