NOTES BY A NEW ZEALANDER

Otago Witness, Issue 2436, 21 November 1900, Page 23

NOTES BY A NEW ZEALANDER

An interesting letter has been received in Christchtuch (says the Times) by Mr J. Stringer from Mr E.-J. E. Stringer, an officer on Ihe steamer Foochow, engaged in the China seivice. This letter is dated '" Tongku, August 19," and in it Mr Stringer says : There is a spirit of good fellowship about all the nations here (British, Amei'icans, Japs^ Aiistrians, and Italians), except the Russians and the French, and they seem to hold aloof from the rest, and to go on theii: own. There is a considerable amount of bad feeling among the Russians against the Americans, and as the Russians are running the railway (in the interests of the allied Powers), the Americans find it convenient to send their stores, etc., by water. A most peculiar state "of affairs, when 3'ou come to think of it, is shown by tbe fact that the Chinese are carrying tbe United States stuft in their large river junks, with one American soJdier in each junk, more to prevent the junkmen from broaching cargo than anything else. Mr Stringer says that everyone was horrified at the treatment of the Chinese by the Russians, and adds that so many tales weie told by men of every station that the account must be true. One incident was related by a man in the Sixth United States Cavalry. He was sent to find a waggon mule that was adrift, and lincl to go into some growing millet (which is like con, Bft high). Seeing a movement in the corn, he crept over, thinking to come on the mule, and found a big Russian committing such a terrible and cowardly assault that lie shot him dead. '" There was very little inquiry abouj, it," says the New Zealander, • " buc the Russians have scored it up." At tbe" general engagement, of August 12," continues ' the letter, "the Ninth and Fourteenth American Infantry were advancing through some high millet, when they got a volley from their own side, killing eight'- and wounding 14. ( They al once accused, the Russians of firing on them, and trouble was only averted by the English commander • coming forward and saying thai it was his men who did it by mistake. We had some of these Americans among the latest batch of wounded tbat we we took out to the hospital ship Relief, in the bay. One of them said to me, " It's pretty hard to be knocked out by your own side, but I guess Uncle Sam will talk to them Russians yet." " But," I replied, "it was the English that shot at you ; they - have expressed their regret at the occurrence." " English be blowed ; they only said that to smooth things over," was the reply.

Mw E. Louglinan, df the Progress Junction road, is the lucky holder of a half share in a ticket in Tattersall's sweep which has just won a prize of £3000. The holder of the other half ticket is a young fellow named M'Gregor, who is working at the Globe mine. — Inangahua Times.