Enormous physical changes are taking place all over West China. Large interior cities like Chengta, Yachow, Kiating, Suifu, and Luchow are undergoing elaborate al-33 and from the debris now of those cities new in a very short "This goodgvork of ing Chinese cities in' West China was started many years ago by General Yang Sen. Fortunately the lead he gave is being followed and maintained by those now in Power and in some places new cities are arising on the site of the old ones. From every standpoias, even' though it means much tem porary inconvenience, and in some places, much financial loss, this can~ not but be a help and blessing to the province. China has always taken and will always take sudden [changes very cautiously and this one is no exception, It has meant tearing down much valuable proerty and the disorganization of much business, nevertheless the new buildings being erected are mor: commodious and handsome. Some of the changed cities have become quite modern; many have become totally different; all have become more healthy and habitable. Bieycles and rieshas may now be seen in Yachows the most western city any importance in the wealthy province of Szechuan, Kiating is an entirely new The city is well planned and artistically laid out, practically all the streets crossing each other at right angles. One boulevard, beautifully laid out, runs along the bank of the river for some miles. One evening, when enjoying a stroll along one of the wide throvghfares, a British-made motor car came " silently gliding along. Immediately after it came a large motor bus capable of seat ing some 20 or 30 passengers. Bitycles were running to and tro and the rieshas could be counted by the hundreds.
The Lack of Water Not oily are the streets Kiating widened and the side-walks graced by nice Chinese shops well stocked with all kinds of wares and the thoroughfares lighted by electricity, but tree planting has been encouraged and now the side-walks are well shaded from the fierce heat of the noon-day sun. Kinting is a thorough up-to-date city and only Jacks one thing, namely, a supply of good fresh water from some nearby mountain, and this no doubt will also come in. time Suifu and Luchow are both in the midst of a street widening upheaval and soon they too will enjoy beautifal wide streets and open boule-yards, 'These wonderful improvements in the cities of West China are merely an extension - of the Shanghai ma-lu' and some day, not many years hence, Szechuan will have: extensive horse-roads' throughout the whole province. Unfortunately the enormous hordes of Chinese soldiers are not being em ployed in this good work and the present opportunity is passing when andmient might go hand fu hand road construction. Motor cars are coming into. the province and a British steamer recently brought one consignment as many as 20 cars to-Chungking. The people of this great province are taking very readily to this means of transport and it is no uncommon sight to seo as many as three and four motor Duses leaving Kiating before day-Tight on what is now a one day trip to the capital.
The city of Chungking is an atterly impossible proposition from a motor road standpoint or even a horse road. The city is built solid rock, many of the present streets being quite precipitous. Hochow and other cities in the northeast of the province have already een Taid out and the streets enjoy the name of ma-lu'
In many places enormous ci fires have greatly tfluericed the in habitants in favour of the horse road, Kiating especially has had during the past few years some serious fires, whole sections of the city being completely wiped out. Now, however, with open wide
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.