Peking, Sept. 27.
Another break in the main south dyke of the Yellow River, near Shiblifu, Shantung, has resulted in the worst flood from the river since 1887. in, which is undertaking relief work, returned to-day from an inspection trip and reports that 2,000 square miles already are flooded and the inundated area is being extended hourly by the vast volumes of water which are flowing across country in a southerly direction. He cays that probably two million people and 2,000 towns and villages ere affected, and many hundreds of people already have been drowned.
The autumn crops in this part of the province have been ruined. The Famine Relief Commission rushing relief to the stranded people, whilst General Chang Chung-chang i scene of the di steps can be taken to cope with the The first break occurred on outlet for the swollen waters. rushing floods possibly the Grand Canal stream now is spreading over the country southward like a. sheet. The extent of the region finally inundated will depend on the amount brought down by the river.
possible to do any repair the river falls and then, may be found that the river will have entirely changed its course.
Sept. 28.
It is hoped that the Yellow River waters now inundating the country from Tsining across to the Honan border will be absorbed by the southern Shantung lakes and the Grand Canal and therefore prevent any washout on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway.
This is, however, only a hope as the reports from Shantung are that most of the lakes are already fall.
The break in the main dyke was apparently caused by the action of of the vast volume of waters might have been eased.
Speculations are rife to-day whether the escaping body of water will be sufficiently heavy and unrestricted to cause the Yellow River radically to change its course. has kept to its present channel since 1852, until which date for half a millennium it flowed across from Honan to Hsuchowfu, emptying itself in north Kiangsu sea waters, The present rough estimate is that half of the flow is still retained within the present bed, with quarter streaming across country and the other quarter fashioning bend round the outer dyke of the old! course. This bend might be coi solidated into a permanent change! of course.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.