Nanking, July 18.
A rice famine is looming in Che-Kiang, where it is reported that }200,000,000 thow of paddy fields are baked by an unprecedented dry spel.
Tk ig estimated that the drought! affects the livelihood of mo less. than 20,000,000 tafmners, and only a small percentage of rural households will be fortunate enough as not to rejauire relief this winter.
The province of Kiangsu is also badly, though less seriously, hit by the drought. The provincial government has decided to set aside $450,000 for the purchase of water pumps
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.