To the Editor of the Nonra-Cucxa Heratp.
Sm,—Tue next Land Renters Meeting will beheld at the Masonic Hall. This may seem at first sight a small matter, but it really is full of significance; for it is the snapping of the last link that ties the Settlement of Shanghai in any special manner to British Rule, We have, for some years, been losing the impress of the Majesty of England on our institutions. The place is becoming in the widest sense cosmopolitan. 'The occasion of the laying of the Foundation stone of Trinity Church was remarkable as an ecclesiastical event; but it was remarkable, as well, as the last public appearance of the British' Lion. The Consul of the day was overflowing with loyalty, and trotted out the gorgeous beast with his crown and gold chain, in a most edifying manner. We heard about Acts of parliament, and we listened while sonorous and mouth-filling titles rolled from the rotund mouth of the Representative of Great Britain. But that quiet May evening witnessed the Inst ramp of the heraldic and_ historical monster. The Beast who followed Una in the Faerie Queen, was not a milder or meeker creature than the British Lion now i The emblazonment copied from the Royal Standard stil appears cut in wood over the heading of this Journal; but when we see it, we think with some pain of the truth of Mr. Lecky's words: "Sometimes we find the phraseology, the ceremonies, the formularies, the external aspect ' of some phase of belief that has long since perished, connected with a system that as been created by the wants, and is thrilling with the life, of modern civilisation, They resemble those images of departed ancestors which it is said the ancient their bodies, aa if to. preserve the pleasing Ethiopians were accustomed to print upon
illusion that those could not be really dead, whose lineaments were still visible among them and were still associated with life." Of course, these reflections are not at first pleasant. The idea of British supremacy in the East is rooted in the minds of Britons, and occasionally manifests itself in ebullitions of no equivocal character; but it is evi get rid of the idea, as regards China, the better. We have still the giant's share of the trade of China, but politically we must be content to take our place on the same level as our neighbours.
And after all, we gain rather than lose by the truth. The position of British subjects, hitherto, has been very ill defined. Though claiming to stand on an exact equality with the citizens of the United States and the subjects of France, North Germany the importance of their Consular service and the prestige gained by their Supreme Court helped to Sphold "ancient prescription. Now, however, we are all ized standing on one even plane. The old custom of inviting the community to meet at the British Consulate for public purposes is abandoned, and we now gather to discuss our public affairs at a Common Hall, where no one will be burdened with a sense of intrusion, and where the fullest and amples equality will prevail. We presume. the Senior Consul will preside, as heretofore but there seems no special reason for this, as the community has proceeded so-far in the path of independent action. The dream of the Free City, based on the precedent afforded by the' mercantile republics of ancient days, has perhaps excited more ridicule than it deserved. It was easy to scoff at the idea of a body of men exis on the coast of a foreign and semi country, and living on without the aid of navy ora military force to uphold them in their position. "But, strangely enough, these much scandalized traders have shown themselves singularly qualified for self Government. They have flung narrow and obstructive national prejudices to the winds, and have cooperated to produce a state of things of which they may be reasonably proud. Is it quite without the verge of probability that, ere many years are over, the Settlement may be even better able to go alone, than it is at this day?
Yours truly, Cate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.