An idea worthy of wider application is in the hands of the financial authorities gt the moment. The money market frequently i flooding by counterfeit notes, and plans are being prepared for a number of offices 10 be established throughout the province whose sole duly will be the distinguishing of good notes from bad ones. Detectives recently unearthed a large number of underground dens in which counterfeit 20- cent notes on the Lungming Bank were being manufactured on a largo Jscale. The most modern type of machinery was in full operation at the time of the discovery, and tens of thousands of these notes were already prepared for numbering and shipment to Shanghai and other di riots for circulation,—Two alleged ring-leaders were arrested and an Jactive search for the remaining three is being conducted.
In the latler part of February Imention was made of a proposal by Mr. Lu 'Tso-fu, Reconstruction Commissioner, that' all separate silk concerns should amalgamate into one company in order to facilitate the {introduction and control of necessary reforms. A certain amount of opposition has been voiced, and at a Fecent meeting a number of silk Jmanufacturers decided that while they might help towards the realization of his suggestion, they reserved the right 10 maintain their Matures separately.
'Mr. Lu, in reply to this, said it }was his opinion that unless' a combination is effected little hope could held out for delivering the industry from its present deplorable state. He said he was determined to carry out his plan and would put a Jstop to a recent attempt to amalgs mate four features independent of the lone he himself advocated.
Hopes that Mel Lan-fifig would visit Szechuen this month have fallen through with the news that he will not visit the province until the Jautumn, It is reported that he con-Jsidered the $40,000 which was offer-fed him for his performances of twenty days in this city was too small a sum. The sale of tickets has accordingly been stopped. plain their headquarters, The command tas now gone forth that no more inhabitants are allowed {0 leave! the city. This is wise as a panto Jmight take place any day. Gen. {ig not ignorant of mob psychology.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.