For two days the reports from all police stations have been eminently satisfactory, and fighting has now been removed to lines at some distance from Shanghai, said yesterday's broadcast by the Shanghai Municipal Council.' The relief manifested in the city has been very marked. In addition to a steadily increasing number of shops opening for business, merchant houses are beginning to show much more) activity, and staffs are endeavouring to settle those outstanding trade)
problems which have had to be left in abeyance during the past fortnight.
Friday night was particularly quiet. There were two visits from Chinese aeroplanes, and some firing from anti-aircraft guns, but no bombs were dropped. The sound of heavy gun fire was heard in the di rection of Woosung, and the vicinity of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway was shelled for about an hour, but this represents about the whole of the military operations with which the Settlement was directly concerned.
Fire Brigade Calls The Fire Brigade answered four calls yesterday and the ambulance service responded to sixteen requests} for assistance, but this was regarded as something almost like a holiday period compared with recent experiences, and the opportunity was taken to wash, dry and test. all equipment. A staff located in a temporary workshop overhauled all ambulances, and) Captain Dyson and Engineer Officer Crickmer Visited Brigade properties in the Eastern district to make a preliminary survey of damage done.
Attention was also paid to providing additional comfort for the families of the Chinese staff. about 400 in number, who had had to flee from their homes and secure temporary accommodation in districts unaffected by the war. These clearing-up processes, as they may be termed, will occupy the Brigade for some' time, but it is satisfactory to know that the "clearing-up" business has actually started. It is the first step! on the road to recovery.
Health Precautions The number of refugees has decreased by approximately 10,000 within the past 24 hours. There has been a slight increase in the cases of dysentery reported, but the trouble has not assumed alarming proportions and is not likely to do so, for the total of refugees in the city has passed its peak and the numbers are now definitely on the downward grade. At the same time, all residents are particularly warned against the possibility of flies spreading contamination and they are urged, in their own interest, to take especial care that all refuse bins on their premises are covered and that food supplies ere kept free from contact with the fly pest.
About 2 o'clock this afternoon, the broadcast continued, a little excitement was caused in the Central District by the noise of passing aeroplanes, and subsequently bombs were Gropped in the Nantao district, but beyond this there was little direct evidence that "war" was still in progress. We can only trust that this state of quietness will continue on all the Settlement boundaries and that to-morrow (Sunday) will be a real "day of rest".
Postal Matters The Post Office announces that the s, Shengking will sail for Tsingtao, Chefoo, Weihaiwei and Tientsin on Tuesday and that mails will close for these ports, and for all places via these ports, at 4 p.m. on Monday. Individual parcels for Tsingtao,' Chefoo, Weihaiwei and Tientsin and via Tientsin will be accepted at the North Szechuen Road post office between 9 am, and pin.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.