Railways at Work but Merchants Still Very Nervous Canton, Aug. 6.
Inland traffic with Canton is being gradually resumed, Foreign commerce has met with no interference so far. At present, there are three American, three British, and two Japanese gunboats protect" ing foreign interests here. The Canton-Kowloon, the Canton-Samshui, and the Kuangtung-Yueh-Han, or Canton-Hankow (Kuangtung Section) railroads are in full operation.
Many firms in Canton are still unwilling, however, to comply with the request of the local authorities to throw their doors open for business. They fear some sudden change of military fortune which would afford another chance lo the incoming or outgoing troops to loot.
Steamship communication between Canton and Macao has not yet resumed. Last May any Chinese residents left that port as a protest against the shooting of some 70 Chinese over a dispute in which the Portuguese troops there were involved. In normal time Macao has a Chinese population of nearly 80,000.
Canton is now without a civil governor. Since the death of Dr. Wu Ting-fang, neither Dr. Sun Yat-sen nor his opponents have made any attempt to exercise the power of appointment. The Provincial Assembly has been unable to procure a quorum to transact any business.
In several] districts of Kuangtung the situation is similar to that in Canton: the pro-Sun magistrates have been driven out, the pro-Chen followers occupying their places.
In spite of the unsettled political condition, the work of city provement is progressing. The Bund is being extended from the former west canal to the main station of the Kuangiung Yuen-han railroad at Wongsha. When this work is completed, the Yuen-Han and the Canton-Kowloon Railways may he connected by vehicle, The Canton Militia, an organization of business men armed for local defence purposes, has been given additional duty by the local military authorities. Ever' since the cvtbreak in Canton the militia has assisted in patrolling the streets.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.