A message received here from Lienchow reports the prevalence of pirates at Lien-Kiang and the north river districts. Yesterday a motor launch at Jenbo was" captured and Tooted by a band of pirates near Sanlihsia on its way to Canton, The 38 passengers, most of whom are sugar merchants, were carried off by the out: Inws.—Reuter. machine-gun for $800 and further could give $80 a month as salary to those joining the red army.
The Communist announcement stated, apparently weakened fighting spirit. of the men in the minitive expedition whose salaries "ad not, been paid. for. several months, Already many soldiers from the front are reported to have joined. the Communist, army carrying ith them their weapons and muni Strangers of all classes when travelling through the country have been placed in embarrassing ¢it= cumstances and, detained by" local authorities, Christian work has also been greatly hindered, Tray Jing evangelists' and. colportem who spend most of their time
tramping through the country. as het Vand "unevangelized areas, perfect strangers, have been greatly hindered in thole' work. "They have boon frequently "under suspicion, and occasionally, they have been, arrested and held in custody until their identity bad been proven and their innocence established.
Recently a Christian business man, of unquestionable integrity, who voluntary capacity is in charge of a small country chapel, was set upon by some hooligans in' the town and beaten quite severely on the pretext of having distributed poison that was causing the deaths Toeal inhabitants. In this cage. it ig feared that students of a Bolshe-visite tendency, and pronounced anti-Christian sentiments, used the Current. rumour to relieve their spleenish feelings, but that, many fare suffering. Irrespective of thei religious beliefs because of resent unfounded rumour is evi enced by the frequent reports th reach us from various parts of the province, Punitive Force Defeated Hankow, Aug. 2.
The 30th and. dist divisions the Chinese punitive expedition feninst the communists have been Sefeated to-day by. the communist and have surrendered. The combined forces have now started ching. west toward Hupei prov-under the name of the Independent Communist Army
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.