The Japanese, however, need not! base any" too great hopes thereon, because the sentiment, I am afraid, aroused merely by way of comparison. Whenever I enquired into conditions at the present time, the conversation fat once turned to the perfectly ap~ palling' conditions that had existed Under the rule—save the markl—of Tang Vu-lin. From all accounts, for-ign and Chinese alike, the reign this pleasant gentleman would seem to have outdone in oppression anu Darefaced robbery the worst excesses of any of the other innumerable ex-[brigands who have been misgoverning [Chinese provinces.
The chief topics I discussed in Chengtch were frontier questions. 1 Jasked repeatedly whether the neigh-ouring Chinese province of Chahar was to be incorporated in Manchoukuo, and if not how the frontier was Ukely to run. All the Japanese authorities T consulted definitely repu-chated any such intention, though one person, more careful than the rest, tdded:" "Not at present" anyhow." 'Another high personage pointed out to me thet, as the population of Cha har consisted of Mongols who had leanings towards an Emperor rather than to a Republic, it would not be so. very strange, if in time to come, they did seek' affiliation with Manchoukuo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.