9th March.
Aut British residents are invited to meet at the Shanghai Club at a quarter before noon to-morrow "to consider a petition and protest again: re changes in the Judi lishment and Consular Service in China." Better late than never. It is more than a month since we drew attention to the proposed changes and pointed out some of the objections to them and the mote they have been canvassed and considered, the more objectionable they appear. Not even the excellence and popularity of the appointments made under them can make them palatable. One of the least objections is that the change is a decided slight to the importance of Shanghai, and to the British community' here; and we hope that there will be a large and representative gathering at the meeting tomorrow. We give in another column the draft of the Petition which is to be laid before the meeting for its approval. Iti official with no personal knowledge. of the field, of his experiments, is able to show that. there will be a trifling saving in salaries by the scheme. he proposes, and it is. accepted; it does.not appear that: the expense on the-other side of retiring. gentlemen still in the full pro-session of their energy, their intellect, and their capacity for work is taken into consideration at all. Ihe draft protest the terms of which we printed elsewhere, which is to be presented to the public meeting for approval to-day, points out very clearly the injury that will be done with dhe Chinese autho ities here. by the proposed change to our relations
Questions arise between sh subjects and the Chinese authorities, in counection with the Chinese customs regulations and otherwise, with which the Chinese courts, before which the treaty directs us to bring our suits, have not sufficient power to deal. Experience has taught us the futility of appealing to Peking; the British Minister is much too far off, and too much occupied with questions of high policy. Our natural and proper resort is the Consul-General here, and his influence has generally been appealed to with success. His influence, as the draft, says, "depends in high and independent position, coupled 8 great measure upon his. occupying a
with long experience in dealing with Chinese officials." A judge, however obviously well that the Chambers of eminent he is, cannot have this ex-Commerce at home and the China! perience, and this is not the worst of Association should know as soon as amalgamating the two positions. They sible what the feeling of Shanghai are not properly compatible, and if the is on the subject, that they may bring future occupant of the dual position what influence they can to bear on the is a Judge he cannot. make a good
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.