Foochow, Jan. 6.
The New Year holidays have passed over without incident, Much was done by the authorities secure the proper observance of the New Year: shops were closed (more or less), flags were hung out, lanterns were lighted bearing anti opium slogans, and various amusements were arranged, such as theatres, storytellers, and meetings. It will be interesting to soe how the "old" New Year will be observed when it comes.
Great annoyance is felt regarding] the delay in the alteration to the Bridge of Ten Thousand Ages. Work has almost stopped, and meantime the River has to be crossed by the large ferry boats supplied by] the authorities. While everyone ae-knowledges that these ferry boats are very well managed, with the minimum of delay and—inconvenience, yet they are of course] much slower than the crossing by the bridge. Influential protests are being made by a body representing the commercial interests in Foochow against the stopping up _of twelve of the "arches" of the bridge.
This is being done in order to reclaim a large area on the north' side of the River, and the progress already made is very striking, but it is widely feared that the consequent narrowing of the River im—medintely under the bridge will lead to serious trouble in time of flood. In the past, floods have _occurred about twice'a year, and it is generally believed" that the bridge. is largely responsible for the flooding] of the ground in the neighbourhood, by holding back the current; obviously this will be even more 80 if the bridge is made shorter. The} protests also demand the speedy] condemnation of Messrs. Chiang] and Lin, who are accused of con: spiring to embezzle a large part of the money to be paid by the Government for the alteration of the Bridge. Representatives are being sent to Shanghai to interview Ad~ miral Yang (Chairman of the Provineial Govt.), and also to Nanking, in order to back up these protests.
There a. considerable far. Villages within ten miles of Foochow City are being terrorized] by bandits, men and women being] carried off for ransom, houses burned, ete. And up the River boats travel at great risk. On December 31 a motor-boat travelling] up the River was attacked by ba dits a short distance above Shui Kou, and no less than forty persons}
'Company's' employees and seven carried ff, including eight of the girls returning home from school} for the New Year holidays. No news has been heard of them since. This attack was peculiarly daring. Several bandits actually came on board the boat at Hungshanchiao (only four miles from Foochow) dressed soldiers. When the bandits on shore! opened fire, their accomplices on board forced the stectsman and the engineers to bring the boat to lanely under pain of being shot dead; and: so the work of plundering was very) imple. the storm. Es cadi bed signs of sey, id for Masse Sei ad arr 5 fed here at ad ore ce tee many cases they are mortgaged See one acne cee tothe. tk Sane tel fede ie Dt ome tae A cee toe a Fay and sah, of Mane ces opal St Dee Grete Bote ma borers every possible information, besides which the present Consul-General Mr. C, F. Garstin, is keen on British trade,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.