A meeting of the above Committee was held Saturday; present, Mr. Glover in the chair; the Revs. Dr. Nelson and W. Muirhead, Messrs, Wetmore, Lemarchand, Forbes, Hiibbe and Dr. Johnston. A letter of apology was read from M. A. Hennequin.
The Secretary stated the occasion of the meeting, that it was owing to the letters which had been received from the North in regard to the famine, and which had appeared in the public papers. The subject was then taken into the serious consideration of the Commitee, as to what should be done. The exceeding sadness of the case was acknowledged, though there was a feeling of deep regret that very much of the prevailing suffering was owing to the want of sufficient roads and means of communication from Tientsin to the famine-stricken districts, It seems that, large supplies of rice had been forwarded to that port, which were allowed to lie on the wharves exposed to all weathers or to be otherwise stored up, for lack of suitable. means of conveyance; while wiltitudes were perishing at no great distance, and human flesh was resorted to by the living as a necessity of existence.
Various members of the committee were strongly of opinion that the Chinese Government was seriously at fault for this state of things; and both on account of the present famine, and, possibly, any future one, it ought to be most urgently pressed upon that Government that railways and such like means of transport should be at once proceeded with, so as to open the country and prevent the recurrence of the terrible destittition now so widely provailpul lication of these sentiments, at the ing, The hope was expressed that, the instance of the Famine Relief Committee, would come to the knowledge of the native authorities, and carry weight with it in their case, leading them to adopt such measures 23 in similar circumstances to the present would prove effective for the saving of human life.
tlements should be divided into various vas then agreed. that the foreign districts, to be canvassed by the members of the committee; as was the case last year on the occasion of the Shantung famine, The following order was resolved on Hongkew: Rev. Dr. Nezsox and Dr.
Hongkew to Nanking Road Messrs. Wooo and Gunpay.
Nanking Road to Foochow Road Dean Buroner, Messrs, Lesaneuan and Grover.
Foochow Road to Yang-king-pang Mesare. Forses, Hunae and The French Concession Chinese in the Settlements, the Outports and Japan Messrs. Murruzap and It was further resolved that telegrams be sent to England and America, appealing for assistance.
'My Dear Mr. Mummean,—In accordance with the resolution passed at this morning's meeting, I called on Mr. Davenport and General' Stahel, who both consented to forward under their official signatures the telegraphic, appeals for asitance to England and the United States, which were drafted by the Committee. I append copies of the tio telegrams which hare gone forward. Mr. Holland deserves the warm thanks of the Committee for his liberality in allowing both messages to pass free of charge, as far as London, over the Northern lines.
T have also called on Monsieur Godeaux, who has kindly promised to advise the Committee of the best means of appealing promptly to the charity of the Freud people.
Iam, yours truly, (Signed) F, B, Fonzes, 26th January.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.