Ichang, Nov. 24
We have come to the end of what has been a very profitable season for the companies running steamers above Ichang. The two largest ships have already been withdrawn and have left for Shanghai, and soon the water will be so low that the smaller of them will be off the run. It is said, however, that some of the smaller ships will continue to run above Wanhsien during the winter months, The str. Shutung, now belonging to Mackenzie & Ca., has left for up river. The str. Meifan (Standard Oil Ca.) unfortunately is still aground above Wanhsien, and it will-only be possible to get her into the water when it rises in the spring. In the meantime a salvage party from Shanghai has gone up to repair her.
The str. Loongmow, despite the time lost in repairs after her accident, has done a remarkable season's running. On her last trip she beat her own previous record when she did the distance between Ichang and Chungking in 39 h. 20 min, steaming time. The distance is 400 miles, and through waters which are most difficult, to navigate—perhaps the most difficult to be found anywhere in the world. The Loongmow underwent considerable alterations to her bow, - rudders, and steering gear after her accident in July, and since then has made eight round trips between Ichang and Chungking in 62 days, handling over 700 tons of cargo and coal at each port.
This performance has gone far to revolutionize first class passenger travel on the upper Yangtze, the comforts of such a ship easily bringing it up to that of ocean mail boats. We hear that still further improvements will be uiade to her passenger accommodation while she is in Shanghai, and doubtless this will make her even more attractive to those contemplating a holiday cruise through the Yangtze Gorges.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.