Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-05-02
WRITES OF CHINA.
Miss Moninser Tells interestingly OF
Life at Hainan Mission.

Miss Moninser Tells interestingly OF
Life at Hainan Mission.
In a letter to the Times Republican
Miss Margaret Moninger daughter OF
Mr.. and Mrs. w. r. Moninger, OF
Marietta township. writes interestingly
of life at the American Presbyterian
mission at Kachek, Hollow. Hainan.
China According to Miss Moninger
the influence Of the European war Is
felt even in that far away country,
and yet about the recent revolution IN
China itself the people Of Hainah have
but little knowledge. Miss Moninger
letter, under date of March 81. follows:
"Since in these days interest in the
great European conflict is so great
perhaps you would be, glad to hear
something about how II is Affecting
the little group Of American citizens
out here in Hainan. Our only COM
munication with the outside world now
is by one French steamer. the Hong
kong which plies between Hongkong
and French lndo- China. She stops at
Hollow one Friday on her way to Hal
fong, and the next Friday on her way
back. The Japanese steamers that
have had the majority OF the trade
since the war began have now been
requisitioned to carry ammunition to
the Suez canal.
In consequence Of the scarcity OF
steamers American mail and freight
come very slowly Supplies from
Hongkong and Shanghai are hard to
get and fearfully expensive There is
no -four in Hollow. no sugar. and
practically no kerosene. We had to
pay s4.4s for gallon tin Of oil
recently, and were lucky to be able TO
get II at that price. The Asiatic Pc
troleum Company's agent in Hollow
told US that the price was going to rise
steadily Luckily Miss Schaeffer has
a carbide lamp. SO we are not so badly
off as some Of the people. We do most
of our retail buying in Hongkong. and
the stores there get their supplies
from England largely. The danger OF
shipping thru the Mediterranean and
the trouble at the Suez canal (tho we
here have not heard yet whether the
canal is closed of mott. are making 1t
impossible to buy great many things
there. Quinine has more than trebied
in price. and there is none to be had
out here. Our mission doctors have
bought up every bit that the Chinese
stores on the island had and We are
anxiously waiting to see II the last
American orders were filled as sent
for. DR.. Kelly has a large order COM
ing that should have been here before
this under normal shipping conditions.
Hollow is a treaty port, and there
are French and Geman and English
there besides the American mission
aries. The Germans have to send their
mail to the Chinese postoffice. The
- Oh. ic- lei
but being in the employ Of a neutral
power Of course handles the German
mail. But the French steamer won't
carry II, the Japanese steamers also
refused. and there are no others. So
that mail is pouched separately and
sent over to the mainland in native
junks, carried to Canton or some other
neutral port. and then sent as best 1t
| can be toward its destination. Two
weeks ago Miss Schaeffer had letter
! from a relative in Germany that had
been on the way since September
practically six months. And the post
marks were mighty interesting bit Of
history. 1t had travelled all over She
! east trying to escape the censors, and
! had succeeded, for anything we could
| discover. .-y
I'VE hear very little about condi-
| tons in China. There are rimors Of
revolt but nothing very definite. Yuan
Shin Kai has stationed soldiers and
| spies all over the country, and men OF
known republican sympathies feel that
their heads are none too safe The
! teacher OF physical training In the
! highest school in the island has been
forced to fee for his Iife We are
| quite anxious that he should escape,
/ as he is leader IN our church in the
city. and very fine man. He was
implicated IN 4 revolutionary pint
falsely but the only thing to do was
/ to get away. 30 he did.
I This is the beginning OF our sprfrs
/! season. We are enjoying our Aeneri-
! can vegetables In orr gardens while
1 we can, as the hot weather will dry
: tsi+lIi up in hurry wnen II comes We
have a patch Of sweet corn that lis do