Chinkiang, Oct. 15.
Owing to the prolonged period of dry weather the river has dropped quite a little and the sand spit is already showing its head above the surface of the water. If the Conservancy Board organized by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce at the end of last year would begin to prepare to do some -really constructive work, the Nieniitao creek might be kept open, and thus enable cargo junks to reach the railway wharf. By so doing, large sums of money would be saved, as the goods would not have to be carried across the sand bank on the backs of coolies. Damage in transit as well as time would be saved. The British Municipal Council is already preparing to have the necessary long pipe lines laid across the sand spit, in order to pump water from "the main river into its water supply intake.
Some few weeks ago Mr. E. Knight, the newly appointed boat officer in the Maritime Customs department, disappeared. He signed on for night duty one evening and a short while after, feeling unwell he took the night train for Shanghai. From Wusih he sent back a message to the effect that he would return in a day or two. So far there is no trace of him, and efforts to find cut his _whoreabouts have been futile. Mr. Knight came down from Harbin in the summer, and during his short stay in this port, won the esteem of those he had intercourse with.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.