Chinese New Year may mark the beginning of a new era in Lungchow and Kuangsi. The hope held 30 years ago for the opening of trade Yelationships between Tonkin and Kuangsi, but which disappeared when the plans for the Lungchow Railway fell through is being revived. The amount of trade passing over the border between the two provinces, compared with what might be, is almost negligible, but much ig being done to foster commercial enterprise as well as good feeling between the two places.
The motor road which is being built by Marshal Lu to facilitate communications and as an aid to commerce is rapidly nearing completion. The most difficult section of the road is being built by a gang of Annamite workmen imported for the task. Blasting is continually going on and the thunderous reports of the exploding dynamite can be heard for a great distance. This difficult section must be cut into the face of several mountains, rising almost straight from the river's edge and for the main part is through rock. Marshal Lu's private carriage has already been through the pass and with the exception of several places where culvert work is being done and where the carriage had to be carried by coolies, it was able to go the entire distance from the border to Lungchow, which in the past has been impossible.
Together with the opening of the road there is being arranged an exposition exhibiting the products of the Lungchow district. The Cham ber of Commerce from Hanoi have been invited as guests by the Lungchow Chamber of Cmmerce. An automobile service is being arranged to convey the visitors from the border to Lungchow and for the return trip to Tonkin. The erection of a permanent hotel is being considered, in connexion with which there will be a motor garage which will institute a regular service to Tonkin.
Already there have been a number of French business men visiting the city looking over the ground in order to determine business possibilities. Many stores which formerly carried merchandise from Hongkong, but which through the war in the province have been deprived of these goods, are stocking French' goods. The number of these stores and the quantity of merchandise carried by them is continually increasing. With the continued peace! and prosperity of Lungchow there is a constant influx of old residents and officials who found it n reached the city two years ago.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.