One of the Mukden 'brigades which remained Peking after the
retirement of most Of Chang Tso-lin's troops to Manchuria worked efficiently with the Committee of Public Safety. This happy collaboration, however, had a sinister ending when a General belonging to the army of Feng Yu-hsiang (the Christian General) disarmed and arrested a regiment of the brigade contrary to the agree- ment. The General said that he had Feng's orders to do this. What looks like a dishonourable act may, of course, have been due to a misunderstanding. What- ever the explanation may be, Feng is suspected of being the jealous rival of Yen. Yen's position at Peking indeed may prove to be untenable if Feng wishes it to be so, for Feng has taken up his position with a large army near Tientsin. In other words, unless he moves on or can be removed he will be able to cut the most vital communica- tion of Peking with the sea. In the native city of Tientsin there has been a terrible outbreak of massacre and pillage by an uncontrolled soldiery. The Concessions were, however, completely protected by the foreign garrisons.
