Chungking, May 21
Three steamers purchased from a Hankow firm for "the purpose of opening a ferry service have arrived here, and will be put into operation within three weeks. Local sampan coolies have addressed a petition to the Government demanding the postponement of the service, "Asan alternative, the cool demand that, if the ferry service is Started, the Government shall made to buy the city's sampans, and pay thousands of boatmen, and approximately 20,000 coolies, allowances while they are finding other em= ployment.
'A. spokesman for the Government expressed the Government's readiness accept the petitions, He pointed out, however, that the steamer service was necessary for the purpose of Improving river communieations in. wartime, It was hoped, he added, that the waterman would Fefrain from "destructive acts."
In the meantime, he said, if the new ferry. service affected their livelihood, the waterman's grievances would receive sympathetic considera tion—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.