Peking, Oct. 20.
A number of foreign official reports reaching Peking indicate that the situation in the Upper Yangtze continues to be dangerous. Numbers of Japanese vessels have been fired on while ether foreign ships, particularly thos of the Yangtze Rapids Steamship Ca, have been foreed continually to carry troops free of charge. Recently the authorities at Ichang demanded a loan of $12,500 from. this concern and] upon being refused troops entered the offices and refused to leave till '$2,000 had been paid. The authorities are still demanding the other $10,000. Also, the company has been forced to pay large sums for each trip made by its ships.
Amother serious incident occurred on board the same company's vessel ling. A party of soldiers demand-Jed passage and bayonetted Captaia Tornroth in the abdomen and compelled him to turn the ship about and take them to their destination. Captai suffering from a nasty though not dangerous wound.
In view of these and similar incidents it is considered that the time has not yet arrived for the return of missionaries and traders to. the Upper Yangtze—Reute.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.