The price of Hee has reached the highest! gute ever-known here. The small shops have sold out, the large bhangs grudgingly sell as much as two sen (about one quart) for $1, during. the early morning hours. The posted price, $50 per picul usually means "if we had any that would be the price." One reason given is, the guerillas will not allow farmers to bring rice to occupied places. Another is, that speculators have purchased and hoard visible supplies, The new wheat crop will soon come in to alleviate distress until the much preferred rice matures.
Although the Relief Committee has helped more than 2,000 families, reports are coming in' of a number of suicides, people who " antlejpated starvation. "One destitute widow kill-fed her two small children and hung. herself. "Rice riots are feared, but m police and soldiers are sufficient to Drevent serious disorder. The prevailing price for a cetin and burial enough to feed an average family for a month. Cremation, outside of military requirements, seems to be: bharaly "possible.
Silke cocoons are selling at from $200 to $350 per picul according Quality. "This is about ten times the average price during past years. Farmers, who owned their mulberry groves tind used disease-free eggs have raspered beyond all previous experience.
The long lack of rain is about 10 become a drought. The city canals are very low, almost dry with a green Scum exuding noxious odours. The surface wells, most of them less than 80 ft. deep have a little water seeping in during the night, but are soon exhausted by early carriers. The few artesian wells not ruined during the hostilities supply those near them. The authorities are taking. precaution against cholera and typhoid.—Inocul ton Is free, sometimes forced.
Besides soldiers, many Japanese civilians. men, women and children, fare seen on' the. streets, evidently: residents, When interpreters are not available, the written characters In Chinese are used in ordinary matters. Tu business, the currency of the four Chinese Government banks pass without question. On the railway, only military notes are in use, 1d telegraphic services operate efficiently, With many business shops rebuilt, owners of residences are making repairs for the steadily returning former citizens, Ttalian Consuls Asked
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.