Fears which this present drought have aroused as to the possibility of there being famine in this section of China, seem to be only too well justified by the reports appearing in another column as to conditions in [Chekiang and Kiangsu. The failure of the rice crop over an area of 200,000,000 mow must, of necessity be serious thing for the province of Chekiang and indeed for Kiangsu also, though, there, conditions appear to be a little better. The estimate that the drought in Chekiang affects no fewer than 20,000,000 farmers and that only a small proportion of them may be expected to be able to subsist without assistance gives some idea of the tragedy which is being enacted almost as Shanghai's very doorstep. It is to be regretted that appeals for the remission of various taxes have not as yet been favourably considered by the authorities to whom they have been addressed, but it fs to be hoped that more merciful counsel will be allowed to prevail fas the full meaning of this threatened.
trophe comes more fully to be realized. Nor is it too much to exe pect that the Nanking Government Will be slow to devise means of warding off the pending evil. It is obvious that strong measures will need to be taken to prevent pro-[Steering in rice or any other kind of grain, and that substantial relief may Ibe necessary over a very large area. The sooner measures are initiated for the benefit of those who are likely to be faced with a winter's starvation [the more likely are those measures 10 prove effective. It is clearly no {ime when there should be any delay in making preliminary arrangements, Jand the sooner adequate steps are being made. the better will be the prospects of good relief work being Gone during the winter which is to be feared.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.