Some Chinese, however, do claim to know how the fire started and make mo bones as to who should cally bear the blame. A litre way down the street, on the north side, stands a famous temple of the God fof Fire. Int is an old building and joes back to Ming times. Some time year there was a. fire in the temple, which did considerable damage. But the shopkeepers in Flower Street, either because they were simply too mean—no doubt business is not so flourishing thes days, as to allow luxuries of this kkind—oF because they have become Infected with the sceptical views of their foreign clientele, refused to get up the customary subscription for the Fepair of the temple.
Such. ingratitude highly incensed the God of Fire who, not unnatural. ly, took the first opportunity of avenging himself on, his unsympathetic "parishioners." There can be no doubt whatever, say many Chinese, that It was he who started the fire and kept it blazing so foreely. It may be s0, of course, though ¥ am afraid that the Insurance companies will scarcely be willing to pay me the usual reward "for this valuable piece of information leading to the [arrest of the criminal.
This burning of Flower Street is another economic blow to. Feiping it-perhaps of a minor nature, for {trade in Chinese jewellery was one lof the few export businesses that could still be said to be alive. "Moreover, several hundred handieraftsmen were employed. 'The business is now badly crippled, and many of these people are out' of work, for the time being, people are afraid that the stoppage Jinay become permanent, and that the {trade may take this opportunity of migrating from Peiping and going south.
Photographs appear In the accom-
Mines Delay Reopenii Of Yangtze Nanking, Mar, 19, That the Japanese army authorities in China were continuing pro parations for the reopening of the Yangtze River was reported today by Gen, Toshizo Nishio, Commander-in-Chief of Japanese EXpeditionary Forees to China, Interview with British and American diplomats, Mr, H.'H, 'Thomas, of the British' Embsssy in China; Mr, A. G. Ogden," British Consul-Gereral' at Nanking, and Ins. E, F. Stanton, newly-appointed American Consul at Nanking, called on Gen, Nishio at 445 o'clock this afternoon, They conferred for half an hour.
The Japanese army desired to reopen the river os soon as_possible, Gen. Nishio said. Much danger, how. lever, still exists, he said, because of oating mines which were being released in the upper portion of the stream by the Chungking Government and were floating down the river—Domei, Gunmen Wound Banker Peace and Prosperity In Kulangsu In Tapieh Mountains Amoy, Mar. 22, Mr. Yin Hsueh-fu, manager of the! Amoy Industrial Bank, was wounded Yesterday when he was attacked by {wo assassins in an alley at the rear of the Kulangsu Municipal Council building, 'A bullet pierced his left, shoulder. when two men, armed with pistols, fired upon him. The attack was believed to have been committed by anti-Japanese agitators, "The Kulangsu Municipal Counclt sent Mr. Goro Uchida, Japanese Consul-General, a note of regret and. announced that it was offering a $500 reward for the capture of the attackers.
Chungking, Mar. 1 Having distributed "comfort gifts' Jamong Kwangsi troops holding out in the Tapich Mountains, which form the base for Chinese forces operating jin' Anhwei and eastern Hupeh, 3 delegation from Kwangst has returned {to the Han River valley after a tour fof four mont Man interview, they expressed sur= prise at "the prosperity and peaceful conditions prevailing Inthe. Tapich Mountains." They particularly stressed Ithe close ce-operation between Chinese troops and the populace in the ater where, it is claimed, only a. smal number of Japanese troops is at pres Mr. Goro after the attack sent a note to Mr. LH. Hitchcock, chairman of the K. M. C., requesting that every effort be made to arrest the gunmen.—Domei.
There was no shortage of food and salt in the district, but lack of subsidiary notes was causing Ineonvenfence, the mission added—Reuter, Mayor Threatens Action Amoy, Mar. 24.
Contending that, as the successor of the taotai of Imperial days, he had the authority {0 "supervise" the administration. of the Kulangsu Inter-Rational Settlement, Mr. Li Ssu-chen, Mayor of the Special Municipality of Amoy, today threatened to assume the control of the police in Kulangsu.
The wounding of Mr. Yin Hsueh-tu, manager of the Amoy Industrial Bank, by two unidentified gunmen, believed to be. political terrorists, on Thursday, Mr. Li stated "showed the deterioration of peace and order in Kulang-ssu" "The mayor attributed the incident to the failure of the Settiement police to carry out their duties efficiently.
Mr. Yin was wounded in the Jett shoulder when attacked in-an alley behind the Kulangsu Municipal Couneil—Domel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.