From Our Own Correspondent iku, Sha, Dee. 14. and from Shanst will be pleased to learn of the opening of an express service on the Kin-Han and Cheng-Tai lines. On Wednesday and Saturday of each week a new fast train from Taiyuanfu. connects at Shih Chia Chwang with a train on the Kin-Han line for Peking. On the same days there is a train up to Taiyuanfu. Leaving Tuyuanfu at about half past six in the morning one reaches Peking at nine the same evening. As the Kin-Han train is made up at Shihchiachuang the traveller is reasonably sure of a seat. Best of all, the change from one train to the other is made in the middle of the day instead, of midnight, as is the © "With the regular through expresses on the "Kin-Han line. Before the revolution of 1911-12 the Cheng-Tai and Kin-Han lines maintained a connecting express service, but this is first attempt to renew this wviee after 12 years of interruption. One who has recently used this new service assures me that the traing wre comfortable and that plenty of time is allowed in Shihchiachuang for the transfer, Native newspapers have reeently chronicled the comings and g0- ings of officials connected with the long mordund "T'ung-P'u Railway.'"" This was a trunk line planned to connect mngfu in Shansi with Sianfu in Shensi, and ultimately with Chengtu in Szechuan. A short section of the line had actually been completed in the neighborhood of this city. work being interrupted by the revolution Gf 1911-12. After that the enterprise was ridened, and four or five years ago the rails on the section completed were taken up and sold og serap iven. Business firms in Taryuanfu hold claims against the Ministry of Communications in connexion with this railway in the amount of over half a million taels. " Should the recent visits of the officials of the "line portend the resumption of work that will lew good news to tie people of Shansi. epidemic of diphtheria is at present taking a heavy toll of young life in this part of Shansi. The mission hospitals are being called upon to treat many cases, some of them, unfortunately, being brought in only after ai] the methods of native practitioners have been tried and found futile. Tt is encouraging to see that some progressive officials are enlisting the help of foreign physicians 10 administering the Toxin-Antitoxin treatment in centres where the epidemic is worst, The magistrate here has reserved an entire ward in the mission hospital for the treatment of cases. "The weather thus far into the winter has Been extremely dry, to which fact the Chinese attribute the prevalence of epidemic diseases. The wheat, too, is greatly in need of a covering of snow. We have had cloudy days but the clouds have scattered without pre-capitation.
The'price of coa] hereabouts has reached the highest figure ever known in the history of the province. Lump coal is twice, and coal dust three times as expensive as 10 years ago. One reason for this is to be found in an increased number of large—consumers, particularly in such growing cities as Taiyuanfu and Yiitzu. The main reason for the advanced price, however, is to be found 1s the serious shortage of labour in the mines. That class of labour has always been well paid in Shansi, as compared with other lines of work, but even so the working conditions ware such that labourers are not attracted to the mines. Furthermore, this shortage of Jabour is in part tee. accounted for by years of good government in Shansi. The miners were formerly recruited from among the lawless classes and viffraft of the province, as a coal pit proved a convenient place for w scalawag to lose his identity for the time being. Good administration has reduced the numbers of such people and the mines feel the result. In consequence of the high price of fuel there is sure to be much suffering among poor people this winter. Something is wrong when people must shiver from cold with millions of tons of. coal almost under their feet.
Official and business circles in Shansi have been greatly disturbed of late ti orgy of speculation in the important city of Tatungfu in the north. Affairs have come to such a pass that the governor has found it necessary to interfere. Business in Tatung has been pretty badly demoralize ed, according to all reports.
Chinese newspapers have reverted that a high official in Shensi Province who recently travelled through this province found it convenient to engage a little Susiness venture on the side in the course of his journey. He is reported to have brought at cne time seven camel-loads, and at another time 13 camel-laids of opium into Feénchow. The rank of this oficial was such lat the Shansi officials along the way dared not molest his caravan. If this story proves to be true the Anti-Opium Association should see to it that the case is thorough-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.