Ssusiness cunuitious prior to the capture of Lhe city were in a bad and Chinese sources were hard put to find money. Interest rates were abnormally high and no business was moving. The ships on their fast trips down could only bring what had already been brought to Chungking, with a result that cargoes were somewhat sparse, though on a previous voyage the str. Alice Dollar is said to have had on board Tls. 1,250,000 of silk. Native banks were asking Ts. 7.1 per thousand for two weeks and demanded the best of security. This was usually forthcoming with ease. it is said that one merchant offered gold bars valued at $30,000 for a loan of $20,000 for six months at a rate double the above, showing enormous profits could be made in transactions, 1f completed.
With both sides of the river held by soldiers of opposite alleg-lance, ships tied up to either shore were subject to the fire of those stationed on the other. Each Teader suspected vessels across of supplying his rival with arms and showed his disfavour by pelting them with lead as they were being unloaded. An American Marine, assigned to duty for service while steaming up and down the river, had been sleeping in his bunk in the cabin when fire was opened from Chungking. He decided to get up. He did so. A bullet then crashed through the pillow upon which he had laid his head. He moved forward. Another whistled through the wall just behind where his back: had been. He reached for his shoes. A portion of his great toe was carried off. Cursing, he left the cabin for safety.
American steamers are provided with U. Government Marines on roanest and at one time, it is said that the str. Alice Dollar had a complement OF 2. A vessel going up or down
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.