Military Governor Finds Oil Theft Unremunerative:
Property Taxed on His Valuation From 4
Chungking, Nov. 1.
The Military Governor in Sze chuan, Liu Shang, continues hi search for funds to support large military establishment, and from all accounts is finding it rather, dificult, His theft of the oil from the two oil companies has not proved og successful as he had hoped, as the price he put on the oil considerable lessened its sale. T! people have refused to buy the oil, and his gigantic theft is working ike x boomerang on his own head. plan is to force Chinese, as well as foreigners, who have property within the city, to buy bonds, but in reality to force them to pay into his military chest 5 per cent, on his valuation of any property they have, Most of the property has been doubled in price over the actual cost. All foreigners, including Germans, have refused to pay this assessment up to date, and it remains to be seen what will hap-then boarded the best, and demand-led several thousand dollars, This sum not being forthcoming, they demanded the Captain should go onshore with them. He convineqi them that be could not leave the boat, so they took the compradore ashore, evidently to hold him to ransom. The boat went on up to Patung and anchored for three days, when the compradore returned to {the boat, and through a local middle man, to'whom they paid $1,000 the [steamer agreed to pay what amount-Jed to $13,000, the Captain being responsible for its payment on reaching Chungking. The original ban-Jdits remaining on board until the vessel reached here. This action on their part is pretty good evidence [that the officials all along the route ]were in league with the robbers, as no arrests were made. The Kingwo, Jwhich followed the Iping a few days later, had a very quiet trip. No Jdoubt the reason was that she had H.M.S, Teal as escort all the way.
An Unfortunate Incident Chinese. The "Shin Shu Pao" ha the demands which he has just made on the follo yesterdays Kono Whol... 70,000 Young Dros Bank 40,000 American Oriental Bai 40,000, Bank of China '20,000 120,000 50,000 Salt Gulld 320/000, Ploce Goods "Guild 1204000
Total How much longer these firma will be able to hold out in face of his repeated demands is difficult to foretell, The Essential Foreigners The arrival of the str. Kingwo (Jardine, Matheson & Ca.) escorted by H.M.S, Teal, has greatly heartened the merchant population, who take it as a sign that the foreigners are returning, and that business soon will become normal, The evacuation of foreigners from Szechuan has. shown the natives, as nothing else could do, that the presence of foreigners is essential to the wellbeing and prosperity of the province. Everybody is glad to sce the foreigners returning and there apparent opposition from any. quarter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.