Who's who and what's what are questions of perennial interest. They have been on the bill boards in this section of the Upper Yangtze all summer. There has been no need to go to London or New Pork, or Shanghai to see the movies—we have had them almost every day. The advance announcements of the coming show came in the spring. The main actors, it was rumoured, were to be the generals of the three Szechuan armies—General Dan of the first army located in eastern Szechuan, General Liu' of the third army of Chengtu, ranged against Yang Sen of the second army with centre in Chungking. What was it alk about? Wetty personal jealousies, was the common answer.
The Fowchow section of the Yangtze belonged to the Chungking division—our soldiers belonged to the second army with yuan as commanding officer. In the early summer the movements of troops began, the city forces were greatly increased, with guards thrown out about the city in all directions, the people became more anxious, but knew nothing and said little. About the beginning of July, though everything was reported quiet, the wives of army and civil officers began to leave for other ports, and many of the wealthy followed. Many of those unable to leave asked permission to come to the mission compounds if trouble should break out:
Shortly after this things began to move in real earnest. A pontoon bridge was thrown across the Little River (running out from Kueichow and joining the Yangtze here) "just in case of need' and large forces of men were sent, 1C0 li to thy, south to check Tang Dzi-mp and Shih Chin-yang, who were on their way out with Kueichow troops. About the middle of July the curtain lifted, mystery and uncertainty gave place to open action. -Picture followed picture in rapid Succession, they were pictures of the most. part of tragedy—Yuan's men came hurrying down the hill to the east of the city and across the pontoon bridge with Tang's men on their heels. The bridge was scarcely broken in time. Yuan moved across the Yangtze to the west of the city and Tang came in. In these days the latter was on the move again with the re-infareed second army in pursuit. A few. days later the pursuer became the pursued again. Yuan moved out once more to the west, leaving room for Yang: Chnen-fang of the first army on his way up river from Chungchow and General Shih, a! sort of free lance, but also "'again'' the second army, to come in. The said General Shih Chin-yang is now the chief commander of the district.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.