Famine Impending but Opium Growing in Plenty From Our Own Corresponitent.
Pochow, April 25.
I do not mean that, all have ceased to make and uso that which stimulates from within—much as could rejoice in such a stato—but moisture for the earth has} now been lacking, almost, entirely) since September ast! 'There has been no snow at all.and no really good season of rain in' these months and, though the wheat crop was fully planted and had fine prospects till the past month, now dying in many places and if the rain comes even now, the yield will probably be quite less than half of a good average Prices have been unusually high for several years and have been raised recently by a good deal per cent., so that there is every prospect for serious shortage of} Brain next spring. The autumn crops are not yet planted whea I do not know how extensive jit extends as far as Kaifeng and I hear that at Pengpu and below there has been even aa excess of rain, Added to the reduction of the grain prospect, there is in this county a very heavy planting of opium and though orders ha come from Anking to destroy td' the official. tells: me that has been much in the country about the matter, there is no sign whatever of any of it having really been rooted up. The very tone in which the magistrate tells his efforts impliew that
not expected by the higher expecting and probably is authorities, if there still be such persons, to do any serious damage to the growing crop, especially 'The house was built in 1896 in remarkably substantial way, and. is im perfect foondition, which' cannot be said of several others neighbourhood of more recent construction in th
Fimaured recently that it had boon. The spoteertoad op Lindow is, cing abeod fast, though it was, abandoned as a Dad job. occasion to go to Limchow a few days ago, and, in one place, aam large gang of men still working away on the road and widening tone of the stone bridges... At, the same time, a look the "newly made road. just, outside Pakhoi, would _certainly" suggest. that this work Thad been abandoned, as it is out up into deep ruts by the ex-carts crossing and recrossing, and no face has been laid on rf having merely been, In some places where it over fields, the original crop town infare the road, was made, has sprung up almost as profusely as in the untouched part of the field.
The work of the Salt Admini tration is still being carried on in the old French Post Offi During the past few days two Ta
buildings—belonging spectors from Peking have if to thi ing both the work and th Admini ration.
ical situation remain is suid that many of holding the roads be: and "Linushan are being enroled by the military: the road may become safe again in the near future, which is a thing very much to be hoped for, hot weather seems to Be upon us in earnest now, after Jong cool winter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.