Peace and quiet prevailed in Laoshan while the nearby Tsingtao was in the throes of tension and rocked by numerous alarms, awaiting its occupation by the Japanese forces, according to a letter received yesterday.
Several foreigners including Mr. T. H. R. Porter and Capt. A. M. Kotenev, had stayed all throughout the troubles at the Pei Chui Shui district of Laoshan, where they organized village patrols as a precautionary measure against possible looting. However, thanks to the fact that this place is off the beaten track of the military—as the road there ends at a waterfall. -nothing untoward was reported in that locality.
Owing to the great scarcity of coal, firewood was in great demand and fetched enormous prices in Tsingtao. As a result, most of the trees found between Lui Shu Tai (Laoshan Hotel and Macklenberg House) and the city, were cut down and sold for fuel.
The wood of Pei Chui Shui (waterfall) escaped this fate, thanks to the vigilance of the volunteer village patrols, who not only succeeded in persuading the villagers to take a long view, but even mobilized them in order to repel neighbouring villagers who were trying to cut down trees in their district. With the arrival of Chinese police, normal conditions in Laoshan were restored.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.