There has been a change here in the military situation within last 24 hours. Since the begin-; ning of April we have been garrisoned here by troops ackKnowledging Yang Sen as their leader. At first we had. some of Yang Chuen-fang's troops, but his men were al] sent up country and lately we have had troops under Ho Lung, who was driven out of here last December by Gen. Chou. Yesterday he left by boat for Fengtu, to make room for. this same Gen. Chou. Gen. Chou, after leaving here, started to go back to his native province of Kueichow, but he did not get very far before he was driven back into the southern part of the province and has been at Lanchuan and Kiukiang for the last few months. A few weeks he -outwardly threw in his lob with the northerners and received ammunition from Gen. Chao, of the Northern Army. He started off with some of his troops, apparently for the front, but had not gone far when he turned round and made an attack on Chungking. Not being successful in getting into the city he had to leave: there and he has made his way here. There are all sorts of reports of troops coming to drive them out of here and out of the province, but one has to wait for the time to come before he knows what will happen. The city was all decorated with flags this morning to welcome them back. It probably is good policy, but it really does not betoken any great love.
With the uncertainty of the last few days and the working of the press gangs and the commandeering of all the boats, rice is scarce. It is rapidly rising in price and after you do buy it you have to watch pretty carefully that the soldiers don't carry it off while you are having it carried home, even in broad daylight.
During the month of July. we. had nice cool, cloudy weather with considerable rain. The corn crop is harvested and the farmers were having a hard time to get it dried out, but the last week of hot weather has rejoiced their hearts. The corn crop is below the average, but the rice crop promises a good: yield, though little later than usual.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.