Humour of Vast Hidden Stores of Munitions Emphatically mumnront News Szivice, Tientsin, May 6. the report issued to-day by the "Par Eastern Times" that "There enough arms and ammunition stored away in Tientsin to blow the city into the middle of the Yellow Sea," is absolutely denied by res-Honsible authorities, who "say. further that there sno foundation whatsoever for such a disturbing report.
Since the Italian arms and amatunition left Tints, no other war material of any description eached the Concessions, and. the only arms imports to the port of Tientin have come from Shane on a Government "huehao," and stored in the Customs Magazine at Tangku. Part of this shipment came last December, part January' and a small part recently. The entire amount is not considered large enough to warrant inclusion the Customs Daily Returns, Which are printed and published every day in the week. This small shipment wil be passed on to places designated by the Peking Govern-rent when certain irregularities in the ""hu chao" are straightened out, Tu any case ther no war materials, whether large or small shipments, stored in Tientsin at the present moment.
Rumours have been circulated that the Germans have been and are importing large quantities of! ammunition and Mauser—pistols, and that these materials were due to come in by recently arrived German ships. "However, in spite of careful searching, the only havd-ware found on these boats has been fron wire nails. If any quantities have been smuggled in, they. cannot, it is held, be large enough to dlispossess Tientsin of its present! sto graphical location, 'The Authorities' Powers.
In connexion with the same newspaper's report, the statement that "none of the foreign concession atithorities have the power" prevent the wholesale "importation of arms," is untrue in fact and in substance. Article 28 of the Land] Regulations of the British Concestion provider for the possession of firearms, the licensing' of holders, fand states that "any person infringe ing or offending against the provisions of this regulation shall be 1 Tinble upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $200 oF to imprisonment for a period of three months with or without hard labour." The regula-ons further state that conveyance through the concession of arms and animunition or materials for the manufactures of such is prohibited Uhiler a penalty not exceeding $50 and. that the possession or storage of same is prohibited under penalty fof a fine not exceeding $200. The favners, lessees and occupants. of premises on which such m {fund shall be held able under idle regulations. The sale nipply of arms and ammunition {a Chinese in the Concession is also prohibited under penalty of $500] and confiscation of the goods.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.