Hankow, Aug. 11.
The seriousness of the drought situation Ju "Hupeh is causing con+ siderable anxiety in official quarters, intense heat of the last few way improved mat-, The latest statistics compiled by the Provincial Civil Affairs Commis slon show that 2,800,000 people have suffered in one way or another Grought, flood or natural calamity understood that relief activities are proceeding apace, and the Commissioner of Civil Affairs is planning to make an inspection trip Through the affected districts, other cause for uneasiness is the rice supply in Wuhan, According to investigations, the amount of rice now stored in Wuhan is only enough to last" the populace for the next twenty days.
Tu spite of a warning issued by the Government regarding any rise in the price of the grain, the lowest Fice has gone up to $880 per compared with the usual rice fof $6.00. In this connection tis reported that the authorities have plans for a big purchase of rice to cope with an emergency. Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.