Hangchow, June 22.
We have been suffering badly from the heat—damp—for three or four days, so that the man in the street has been confined to the teashop and done his shore of gossiping. All kinds of rumours are abroad just now, arising no doubt from the several telegrams senti from here by the guilds to the Chekiang M.P's, in Peking, asking them to come south for safety! Another' rumour says that Hangchow is again to be the capital, but of course all intelligent Chinese laugh at the idea. A good thunderstorm would clear the air, and a cool night the brain, where there is any to cool.
There has been another big fire at the Drum-tower and a number of very important shops burned down. The god of fire is having it all his own way just now.
The schools ate all winding up for the summer vacation and having their commencements at the end, instead of the beginning.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.