Hankow, Aug. 24.
Hankow entered upon a period|ti of greater privation to-day.
Following the failure of the vegetable supply. the supply of meat has now broken down and there is no hope of fresh supplies until dealers are able to. bring cattle down the river by raft from above the flooded area was. an anxious ti the Wahan ities "one Now that fear Tegagling the Tsing ter hasvboen dissipate, Chere is dread that typhoon storms, fare conimon az this time" of the year, may lay the city. ruins. A-storm of this kind would' blow such a weigh city's under collapse vould be inevitable.
Tt is an astounding fact that only one per cent. of foreign property in Hankow is insured against floods. it is impossible it must ran into many millions of dollars, Moreover business will fat a. standstill for months... The tea crop, for which Central China fig famous, is ruined. The trees on the hillsides are safe, but the leaf Jeannot be picked and cured.
'A. meeting of 50. Chinese and {foreigners to-day formed local branch of the Flood Helief -Com-rissian under the Chairmanship of General Fong Pan-jen, and Bishop Roots, who represents the foreign members of the committee, Tt is IRoped. to initiate measures of [sanitation among the refugees and supply food to some of them, foreign oficial of the flood relied commission estimates that the cost jot merely "providing food. and shelter for the Wuhan refugees during the next two months "will feast five million dollars, And this estimate does not take" into consideration health measures and the medicines required.
unger is. already having its effect among the refugees. Yesterday, when soldiers were engaged Tmoving a quantity of grain from, jo. godown in the native city, a Barge body of refugees housed' in the same "godown attacked the soldiers and attempted to seize the fe rain. A hand to hand fight ensued, but other troops arrived. in. pans, armed with machine-guns, Jand "quelled the trouble. No. one iwas killed but several of the hungry mob were injured.
Aug. 26.
'The river' is slowly and steadily subsiding, but there is still six fect lof water on the Bund. Continued [high winds, however, are sweeping the seas into the town and causing cllapce of wall, to property, vinelading the its daily quota of dead.
arrent, is. carrying awa; Owing to the inability of authorities to keep a close check, {t is impossible to. state accurately: [the number of victims, The death-roll la variously quoted as being} from 25,000 to 200,000.—Reuter, and "devastation, gripped new horror, increasing death Aug. 2
stricken "Wuhan area to-day as vere storm which raged all" of night continued without abatement to lash a wide section of the iridated area this morning.
The storm struck "with all tury as darkness. fell" last Jand atten o'clock this there were no signs of abate 'The winds "blew Chinese hous dreds of sampans. The river front land along the bunds of the former (Concessions hero present scenes of Hdevastation and new chaos. Fences, en high walls, and coal yards have been torn' down completely. The. violent "storm has. uprooted trees. Two cinema gardens have been rained, The river continues to recede slowly but steadily but heavy rains fare "threatening, adding fo the fears of @ populace which is sulferso severely that further desolation cannot be conceived.
On the Customs gauge the watermark Was. fand 2 inches After many disappointments it is believed' that Hankow' is witnessing "a most gradual but definite fail "in "the depth of the swollen Yangtze. A strong northerly wind was blowing to-day and a further fall. in the river level Is expected. Chungking has reported a fall of four feet in the flood waters. there.
Daily the food shortage grows more acute, Indicating the temper jot the' mobs "several rice shops rare looted yesterday. The, situa fon is grave and with food prices Jdoubled the authorities have asked arrival from Nanking yesterday General Fong Pan-jen, the Chairman of the Hupeh Branch of the Nationa Flood. Relief Commission, declared that at least $10,000,000 will be necessary if adequate relief work be done in this area.
The" most important" problem, according to General Fong Pan-any is t0 assist the farmers in reliming their land and preparing plant spring crops. after the ood waters subside. Only generous contributions from the people China "and from interested foreign will" meet the emergency, General Fong Panvien "said. declared that it is gplikely that the Government will be able to raise the required funds.
General Fong Pan-jen is in favour of engaging immediately all youthful refugees so that they'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.