Wild rumours continue to circulate about the war with Japan. One hears that Nanking has been retaken by the Chinese troops. So also has Hangchow, and the Japanese have abandoned Shanghai and returned to Japan. The cause of this sudden reverse of the Japanese success is, cne is told, the decision of Russia to come to the aid of China. Her first act was the bombardment of Tokyo by a squadron of 300 planes. But the coal populace are either too preoccupied with their preparations for the New Year, or are grown too skeptical of such' sudden bursts of good news, to be much affected. Not a single fire-cracker has been set off to celebrate what would surely be a great victory.
This part of the country remains quiet, calm and peaceful, more peaceful in fact, than in times of so called peace. For many years this section of the country has been upset by bandits, but since the beginning of hostilities with Japan an amnesty has been declared, and the bandits have either been incorporated into the army, or have taken advantage of an excellent occasion to retire with their spoils and enter once more the ranks of honourable citizens.
The Big Knife Society are still more or less active, in the next county, but so far they have confined their activities to the smaller towns and villages.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.