Yangchow, May 23.
The shifting of the office of the Salt Commissioner from Yangchow to Panpu is said by some to be the cause Of the failure of many native Banks and of the general falling of of prosperity in Yangchow. Others Say that the closing of the native Banks is due to the increasing busi ess of banks organized " along western lines. Whatever may have Deen the cause, it is a fact that many native-style banks have closed their Goors. The circumstances of many persons whose income depended on their investments in salt, have Fecently been reduced.
"At. Shiherwel changes in the methods of salt transportation are [having a great effect on the life the people. Shiherhwel is a town of {60,000 inhabitants on the north bank fof the Yangtze just west of the place Where the Gand Canal empties. into the river. The population is almost entirely "dependent" upon the salt Industry foF its livelihood.
Formerly, salt from the Hwei dis trict was brought down the canal, or down the coast in sea-going junks, and up the river to. Shiherhwet From the larger junks it was transferred to smaller ones and carried in them to its ultimate destination in Kiangsi and the adjoining provinces.
"The process of transfer was slow.
salt had to be carried to shore, weighed, piled in great mounds, again weighed, and then, carried to smaller junks of which there was a fleet of about 1,000. From 4,000 to 16,000 men were employed on land in the handing of the salt. To. this number should be added 10,000 to 20,000 junkmen and their families.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.