Shansi, Mar. 20, Banditry in the north of the neighbouring province of Shensi is creating a state of tension along the western border of this province, where large numbers of troops are garrisoning the cities near the Yellow River. Local reports. place the Shensi trouble near the city of 'Yenchuan, about, $0 miles from' the Yellow River, which is said to have been besieged, and local farmers taking supplies of coal to. the city mercilessly slaughtered. The resuit is that all passenger trae across the Yellow River in that area is Suspended, except for the crowds of refugees, chiefly-women and children fleeing into this province. A. large body of soldiers and wireless equip= ment has been sent to Shihlow hsien. Persons engaged in disemminating communist literature in Sichow hsien fare reported to have been arrested and executed, 'Trouble was reported towards the close of last year from Kolanhsien in the north of this province, but was evidently entirely "a local' disturbance and easily dealt with, The military surveillance in this province eMicient and -wideawake, "and no serious anxiety is felt in regard to further developments, A posse of bandits numbering a hundred of $0 who succeeded in. crossing the Yel low River recently were speedily met and. dispersed.
Progress on the next section of the Tung-Pu railway between Hwochow and Linfen has been slow, but the whistle of the construction train now no longer a nine days wonder and passenger' trains are promised for April. 'In the meantime some and' better engines have been ut on the Huochow-Taiyuan section, and the service has greatly improved: Mails which used to take a week oF more from Shanghai now reach us in four or five days,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.