Sianfu, Feb. 24.
The world-torvitying events in Shanghai leave us here outwardly It seems strange Jcomparatively small incidents should provoke violent demonstrations and] ens in Shanghe For one nipping Manchuria. Another a man with a fine gesture of patriotism rejecting the proffered silver of gentleman in a kimono.
The Chinese New Year was evers where observed and the efforts of the Government during the Inst two lor three years to abolish it seem to ing. Perhaps it was quieter than it used to be but there was a general observance of the old customs, except the pasting! Jof mottos en the doors, and. the ple were glad to take holiday} for the best part of a week.
On the 15th of the first moon, jthe Feast, of Lanterns, 'a nasty ac-[cident took place at the Ta Yen Ta. the famous Pagoda, four miles to the south of the city. The place was crowded and a lot of people were ascending the Tower when, art of the staircase gave way, precipitating about 30 people ta the bottom. 'Those underneath were the worst off, and six were killed. It is said that accidents happen there Jon this feast almost every year but ft dees not appear to be anybody' responsibility to guard against Though there is outward quiet the resentment against the Japanese is deep. All intelligent people de-your the newspapers and are very Jeager to get information. They are naturally proud of the stand of the Chinese troops and do not understand what sea-power and its conse-Jquences may mean. There has beed 'a rumour this week that the Govfernmient was to be moved here to the Western capital and there are more unlikely things to happer that. There is much fortnight no ime through from Shanghail week, newspapers and letters have arrived taking about a Week on the way. Fortunately the Tientsin papers were not inter-rapted, or the home mail which is taking' only about three weeks from London to Sianfu. As a rule up hhere any disturbance in China blocks the trunk railway, and cuts off our mail completely.
The city here continues to. improve. The main West Street, a mile and a third in length has not been pulled down as was originally proposed to match the East Street but a proper road has been made with sidewalks which is a great improvement. A new hotel de luxe has risen in the East Street, motors rush along the thoroughfares and seme people have wireless, The country is peaceful. A few] weeks ago a party of 70 bandits attacked the local defence depot in the market town 13 miles from here Jon the main East road and took the rifles but such an incident is not] common. We have just had a fall of snow and the people have good hopes of the winter wheat. 'The railway is open to Tungkuan where the engineers are busy on. the tunnel under the city. The excel lent Tunghai express reaches Shan-chow in the early morning and leaves at midnight and an ordinary' train runs from there to T'angkuan and back in the course of the day. Before the present upset travellers were reaching Shanghai in three days from Sianfu.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.