Tsingkiangpu, Aug. 15.
Bandit activities. in North Riangsu are assuming most serious proportions, conditions being worse than they have been for several years, Several days ago part of the soldiers stationed at Hsipa to protect the salt shipment mutinied and went to the country. Shee that time they have been systematically going from village to village disarming and taking the arms of the local militia.
'There is evidently a plan on foot to carry on operations on a large: scale. "At the present time there fare several large bands of bandits operating in this county, Lienshui, and Siyang. Yesterday' morning vill few miles west of this group of over 100 attacked a
city, killed several, wounded others and' carried off a number. At other village they had sixty-one captive with fern when—they attacked the village. There is a feeling of grave apprehension felt by all the people in this se immediate and drastic steps taken to curb the present! activities chaos will prevail throughout the northern part of this province.
Recent reports of excessively. high water in the Grand Canal here are exaggerated. While high, the water is not rising and is well be-Jow the danger line. General summer crops are fair.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.