The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-02-18

broad. A little below Cheng Chou there
is bend in the river, where the stream is
borne against the south shore. The en-
bankments were sodden with 10 days con-
tinuous rain, and strong wind blowing
down the reach added to the force of the
current The waves dashing violently
against the embankment carried it away.
The breach at first extended for only 100
yards, and the main body continued to fol-
low its own channel Frantic efforts were
made to close the gap, but its sides rapidly
crumbled away till it widened to breadth
of 1900 yards, through which issued the
whole contents of the river Parallel with
the Yellow river, between it and Cheng
Chou, runs the Lu-chia river, water.
course of no size The escaped torrent
poured into the valley Of this stream, rush
ing down it towards the east. Twenty
miles from Cheng Chou stood Chungmou
walled city of the third rank. In the
district of which it is the chief town o
hundred villages were swallowed up entire.
ly, and the lands of 300 more were inun-
dated The city itself is reported officially
to be still standing, encircled by the waters
but private accounts represent that both il
and its population are buried beneath the
waves. The food, still keeping the line o.
The Lu-chia, then turned southwark, a mass
of water from 10 to 20 feet deep in the
midst and stretching in width for 30 miles,
without counting less important off-shoots
which invaded the valley of adjacent
streams. Chuhsien Chen, one of the prin-
cipal trading centres of China, lay in the
direct course, but being on higher ground,
escaped with the loss of few suburbs. Sew
enty miles duesouth of Kaifeng the Lu-chia
joins larger river coming from the west.
Not far below the point of junction the
food, aggravated by the accession of its
volume, rose to height even greater than
before. The country there trayersed by it
is low lying and very fertile, and the pop
ulation correspondingly dense. In tract
which must be less than 80 miles square as
many az 1900 villages were submerged.
Not far beyond the inundatiOn passed into
the neighboring province of Anhui, from
the Government of which no reports have
been published The people there must
have received warning of the impending
danger, and it is believed that the food,
though spreading widely, has been less deep
and violent The loss of life should, there
fore, be much less, but the destruction of
property must be immense all along the
valley of the Huai river to the sea, The
number of persons drowned in Honan can
never be reckoned with any approach to
accuracy, and can hardly even be guessed.
Hazarding conjecture, l would say that
it cannot well be less than 100000, and
probably Is not SO high az 100000.
Still the European in Pekin, who by his
relations with the Chinese Government is
in position to be better informed than
any one else, has put the number at 7,000,-
900, Official reports state that very few
escaped of those whose homes were in the
midst of the food, though small number
were rescued In boats from tree tops or
high mounds.
REPAIRING THE DAMAGE.
There is no intention on the part of the
Government to allow the river to remain as
it is. Orders have been issued to close the
breach and con6ne the water in its old
channel. With this object the imperial
treasury has been directed to forward ST.
100000 at once to the local authorities,
and to furnish further funds as they may
be required As the water diminishes won.
derfully during the winter months, there Is
reason to hopo that the attempt may be
successful. Should it fail, the inhabitants
of densely-populated tract of country,
nearly 400 miles in length, will be con-
demned to years of hopeless misery, till
most Of them have persisted off the earth;
and the task must be begun of embanking
the river on both sides for all this distance.
Meanwhile the Emperor is not forgetful of
his duty. Besides the private gift of the
Empress, mentioned above, the sum of
1915, 900 has been appropriated for the
relief of distress. Also 81, 100000 pounds
of rice, which should be sent next spring
10 Pekin from Central China, are to be de-
spatched to the flooded country instead
A number of soup kitchens have already
been established, each of which is besieged
by several thousand refugees. Mat sheds
and warm clothing will be provided in the
winter, and the Governor, mindful Of the
possibility of rebellion, proposes to keep as
many thousands of able-bodied men as he
can out of mischief by enrolling them as
laborers to work on the repairs to the
embankments Lastly, should any of the
officials engaged in distributing relief be
found guilty Of malversation, their superior
officers are authorized to apply to them the
short and sharp penalties of martial law.