Kueichow is about as straitly shut in as it is possible to be. Export trade is at a standstill and import trade is crippled. On all the provincial borders, robbers are blocking the roads and the business men are face to face with problems that disturb their sleep at nights. No doubt there will be a little respite at New Year, but it will only be like stopping to take breath in order that the "business" may be re-opened with new zeal.
Major Chow, who has been causing the military authorities seme anxiety for months past, has now decided to throw in his lot~ with those she was opposing. "t is exspected that the negotiations will be completed shortly and that then Major Chow will receive an appointment under the government. In some quarters it is feared there may be trouble from the western side of the province in the near future, so this making friends of the enemies in the east will greatly relieve the situation for those who have to arrange things.
An important gathering of military officials is taking place these days, but it is hard to know the real reason for their coming together at this time. Brig.-Gen. Yi, of Tating district, and Brig.- Gen. Liu, of Hingi district, are not present, but we hear they are to be represented at the gatherings, On all sides there is a rumour that these two gentlemen have left the government to throw in their Jot with Gen. Liu Ju-yuan, who was appointed to the command of the border forces of Yunnan and Kueichow by Marshal Tang.
NOTES OF FLACTUATING VALUE, For months now there has been trouble between the soldiers and the business folk because of the local _bank-notes. When paying their debts to the authorities, the business men use local bank-notes at face value, but when the soldiers receive the aforesaid banknotes as pay and try to use them on the street, both the shopkeepers and the money-changers try to make the price $95 good money for $100 local paper money. We are constantly hearing of fights as the outcome of this. It has been announced that the business people will have to settle their own disturbances with the braves in the future when trouble arises over the notes. Several days ago, a tailor was seriously injured by some soldiers because he asked for silver in payment when he had made a garment for one of the military gentlemen. Tu addition to slapping the tailor several times in the fare, the soldier servant went and bronchi several of his comrades and they displayed their bravery
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.