Waterworks Scheme Revived From Our Own Correspondent, Wuchang, Sept. 28, During the past week or so there have been a number of freshets coming down the Han and native shipping near the mouth of that river has been a good deal inconvenienced. Some days the landing pontoons of the Wuchang-Hankow ferry launches which are situated near the confluence of the Han and Yangtze have had to be moved further down stream as the rush of waters threatened to wash them away from their moorings. Last. Saturday afternoon was, however, the worst time of all, for that day a spate 10 ft, high came down the tributary stream and the force of the additional water could be felt for miles down the Yangtze. Just as the flood arrived a strong northerly gale suddenly sprang up and the wind beating against: the flood caused quite a big sea to get up on the Yangtze. Tha waves were washing over the bund again just as was the case during the great typhoon threa weeks ago. For tino matters were rather exciting among the sampan and junk popu-ion but apparently little cerions damage was done.
For about the third time the Wu-change Waterworks scheme has been revived, and now there seems to be rather more chance of its success than haa previously been the case. A capital of about $2,000,000 is to be subscribed and then perhaps things will begin to move. To have water laid on would certainly be at great boon here, for the wells are apt to run dry during the autumn and the fluid transported by coolies from that portion of the river near its bank does not give one the impression of belonging to the limpid crystal liquid about which the poet sings.
I am told by foreigners who have the misfortune to live near the various military camps in Wuchang that this summer the annoyance from the buglers and their instruments has been greater than usual. Formerly these creators of that which is supposed to still the savage breast began their day's work about 5 a.m. During the past few months, however, they have been in the habit of commencing operations at 2 a.m.! Things seem very unequally divided in this world. If some of their enthusiasm for aaking an early start with their day's labours could have been couimunicated to the British working man and some of the latter's dilatory methods transferred to these instrumentalists the people at home and the jaded foreigners in Wuchang would both have been the niore satisfied.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.