The collapse of the Northern Coalition was finally indicated by ithe departure of General Yen Hsi-shan for Japan and of Mr. Wang ing-wei for Europe. Uncertainty jrerained to prevent dogmatic as-sections regarding the intere, as Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang withdrew into Shensi and was reported to thave-under him troops still immune from defeat. In addition Marshal Chang Hsueh-hong, detained at [Tientsin in conference with various generals, appeared to Lo doubtful of!
Manchuria of the programme which his visit to Nanking had produced.
The Paralysis During the preoceuration of the! Government with the Civil War. the internal condition, of China steadily Jdeteriorated. The development of the bandit menace has been mentioned. It slowly but surely crept! lover the fertile Yangtze valley with: the result thet the river traffic had lcorstantly to run the gauntlet of ie and primitive artillery fire. Foreign gunboats had to exercise the greatest vigilance in policing the! river. especially in corton: stretches. On November 28, a British statement showed that British gunboats had been engaged with bandits 40 times in the preceding few weeks, The river steamers had to carry guards Jand be specially protected. Trade became almost paralysed in many once-prosperous river ports. In the [Provinces away from the railway]
the bandits gained the upper In Fukien, Riahgsi Mupeh the Government could Tittle er no control. The result seen in the capture of many for-Jcigners by bandit leaders.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.