The walls of the city of Chengchow have been levelled to the ground. Military people say Chengchow is not a strategic city in the sense that Kaifeng for stance, is, and that, if an enemy should approach close enough to shell the city, the wise leader would not try to defend Chengchow, though he probably would do so in the ease of Kaifeng. Again, there an increasing desire to "seo the whole of the Chengchow area, thrown into the new modern market town mooted some few years ago, where foreigners might freely come and do business.
'The gentry objected to the demolition of the walls, and, about two weeks ago, called a meeting to object and' have their message impressed on the military headquarters. The night before this mect~ ing, a division of soldiers were sent to the wall, and, before day broke, such a start in the work of de-volition was made that the meeting was not held, Now all the brick= work is down, and the officials. in charge have a big proposition on their hands as to what to do with the earthvvorth that remains, The hardest worked -eivil official in the province is the man who, in olden days, would have beet called the' Civil Governor, but now is known as the "Min Cheng Ting Cary." Hsueh Tupi, It is said he rises at four in the morning and often works till midnight. At pres sent he is having an Institute of Instruction for magistrates from all over the province, and the chief police officials of the province, It is whispered that the head of the Administration will not take up the office of Minister of the Interior, to which he has-been appointed of Nanking. Honan will, undoubtedly, gain much from his administration under the Marshal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.