While, as was announced yesterday, it is believed that money to pay the troops in Shanghai has been provided by Peking, the position of the Chinese merchante locally, who have involved themselves very heavily in relation to the soldiers' wages, is still @ source of the utmost uneasi-
Peking, July 11.
During the first reading of the revised bill of the official system of the Chiaoyupu, the National Council decided to strike out the clause providing that the Minister of Education should promote religious teaching. The House agreed that religion is an important part of education but, in China, the matter presents such difficulties that it is impossible to draft satisfactory regulations and, moreover, there is no state creed and therefore the best course is for the Government not to interfere in religious affairs.—Reuter. ness, calling for an appeal by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the authorities in the capital.
It is learnt thet prior to the news of this remittance for the troops, the Chamber in question telegraphed an urgent message to Peking. This was despatched three days ago, and asked Yuan Shai-kai to send a sum of Tls. 4,000,000 immediately, otherwise the soldiers and merchants at Shanghai were threatened with ruin. Of this Tie. 1,000,000 was required for the wages of the soldiers, and the remaining Tls. 3,000,000 to repay the advances made by the merchante to the military authorities here. 80 far, no reply has been received from the Presid-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.