The trouble at Shangpa in the Sal-ween River Valley, Western Yunnan, 55 reporied to have been seitied once more. Of course no. one knows! whether the reported peace Is permanent or not. Accurate figures con-jeering tke mumber of Chinese and Hsu siam and wounded are not obfainable. And, as the just often sutfor for this unjust, robbing and plundering was carried into regions of concerned with the fighting. Before, during and since the fighting. the city walls and. fortiftations at Weihsi were strengthened considerably at no little expense to the district taxpayers, the officials envisage Ing the possibility of further trouble with the Hsu or of an Invasion by a formidable enemy. More recently the fortifications were strengthened at the Tibetan border city of Aluntze. The political situation is quiet there, aside from occasional small robberies som: times with loss of life in the outlying Tural areas to the noth of Atuntze, Bloodshed at Batang In Hsikang Province, Batang has been the scene of further bloodshed. 'A. small Draya Tibetan official, Dor Joh, who with his tribesmen were driven cut of Tibet perhaps a year or $0 ago, found refuge at Batang. Later he visited Nanking and Chengtu, and returning last Autumn, he announced that he hag authority to fake over the administration of polltical affairs in the Batang district, Asked to show his credentials which Were supposedly from tke Lolan Lama, he replied that they were in the hands of a friend. As the reins of Government wore not turned over to him by the Chinese official, his troops surrounded the military yamen, Nothing happened until about five days later when the Chinese troops: sallied out of the large yamen bulld-Ing and seized the gates.
A skirmish ensued in which eighty of the Chinese soldiers were killed, and probably thirly Tibetan sold: Jers were slain. Many were wound-and some of these later died Ju spit of the care given by a missionary Jady and her native assistant. The rebelling Tibetans were driven from the city and fled northward to the haunts of a robber tribe from whom they probably thought to receive comfort and ald.
Son Taken as Hostage Dor Joh succeded in taking with him as a hostage the five-year-old son. of the Chinese oMeial who had refused to turn Batang over to. him, Soon he sent back word that he would return the boy if his own possessions: were returned. Later he also demanded that some cannon and ammunition be given Bim. His requests were refused by the Batang offic and now everyone is wondering just what will happen next. Word has Just come that Reds last month were gain rampant in the Yachow district of Szechuen and were said to have surrounded Yachow. The missionaries fu that area in anticipation of their coming had gone to Kiating.
Political conditions within 'Tibet are quiet. In recent' years the Lhasa Government has develop-em cient, if not ponderous, military, system. Ancient firearms were "discarded" and replaced by. modern gung and ammunition. Many of Tibet's soldiers were trained efficiently by Indian army' offers. Garrisons are stationed in every im-Porlant city, and when necessary the borders of the Closed Land are carefully patrolled to keep out. "undesirable." Bugles, bagpipes and drums provide, the martial" music. Tibetans fare fond of musie, and certain of them become quite adept in the use of suck musical instruments as. they
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.