At Yunyang, where a large brigand force holds forth, steamers ave Subjected to continual attack and junks are robbed in the most open-faced manner, Wood-oil junks coming upstream to the Wanhsien market have this week been either robbed of a portion of their cargoes or forced to pay large sums in "taxes" to the Yunyang thieves. 7
Ip the vicinity of Wanhsien the' bandits have increased noticeably in number and in boldness. Travellers have been robbed in daylight within a short distance of the city and at night repeated raids are made upon the defenceless peasantry. Several night raids' have been made upon junks and cargo-boats lying at anchor directly across from the city proper, one of them resulting in a lively rifle battle between the bandits and private guards. Merchants and local property owners who wish protection against these. attacks are required to pay a fee to the local military authorities, who will thereupon provide the number of guards paid for.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.