Amazingly enough, the area, though abnormally quiet, with none but official vehicles plying the streets, is still populated, Even those houses on the boundary, with S.M.C. barbed wire on one side and Chinese on the other, have carried on living for days with no egress in any direction. Yesterday and the day before, openings have been made: in the Settlement wire which can be quickly closed, and through these the inhabitants have been able to stir forth.
The stories of the police stations in the Eastern areas, which had to be evacuated, were grimmer, had more of war about them. But West Hongkew has not come out unscathed.
Shells have fallen all over the district, four alone in Elgin Road School. Through it all the force has kept up to its traditions, both regulars and Specials. It is interesting to note that the Specials are of the First Division, and are again in the area which they helped to guard in 1927 and 1932, "It is understood that they have been offered posts elsewhere within the Settlement, but have refused.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.