'Whilst the discipline of the kiangsu soldiers is reported excelent, the countrypeople state that! there are many desertions, and fear' of robber gangs assembling in the neighbourhood of Shanghai is expressed. Indeed, the people living a certain mud village of uw savoury reputation just outside Liuho, have become greatly emboldened by the prevailing unsettled conditions, and have been doing a good deal of looting after the soldiers have finished. This is an area which has hitherto been quite free from bandits, but whether that state of affairs will continue remains to be seen. One hopes so. 'Arms are for sale cheap, and an increase' in the number of armed robberies, Chinese territory at} least is bound to occur. Fortunately the Settlement has a tried ang trustworthy police force to rely upon, but one does not envy them during the next few months.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.