We are glad to know that the recent riot at Chinkiang and the feeling that there is some recrudescence in the official and literary class in China anti-foreign sentiment—as is shown in the memorial on which we commented elsewhere—have had the expected proposes to enrol the men who are effect, and that the roll of members of not actually effective volunteers but the S. is considerably larger than who are still ready and willing to it was at this time last year, and that make themselves useful, in a kind the spring training is going on well. of Home Guard or Salvage Corps, The Ministers at Peking thought it which shall devote itself, in case of advisable to strike out from our pro-danger, to looking after the safety of poet new Land Regulations all rethe women and children, and leave the ference to our Volunteer Corps; an ill-effective volunteers free to attend to advised step in our opinion, for the their strictly military duties. His sug-value of a Volunteer Corps here is un-gestion to the Chairman of the Munici-doubted, and it has been more than pal Council is " that the Council should once officially recognised by the British authorise the formation of a ' Veteran Government, and its assistance was Corps' or 'Home Guard,' which should asked for by the then Taotai of Shanghai be in no respect a subsidiary volunteer during the Franco-Chinese war, in the corps to assist it in its own special duties, event of order being threatened in the but which should be charged solely with Settlements. It would therefore cer-the escort of the women and children to tainly be better that it should be a place of safety, when such a course officially recognised in the Land Regu-seemed advisable. I would suggest," lations, than that it should be in the he says, "that the corps be formed of somewhat anomalous ion which ex-members of the Volunteer Corps, it now occupies. The Ministers were with the addition of a few of our senior no doubt actuated by the laudable de-residents, who have never been volun-sire not to injure in any way the feel-teers but whose years now entitle them ings of the Chinese Government, by the to exemption from active service." Major implied suggestion that they were un-Morrison has sent round a circular to able to preserve order in the Settlements: some of these, and it has been generally but the fact remains that however good approved, and a meeting is to be held the will of the Chinese authorities may on Monday to put the proposed organi-be, their system breaks down in the sation on its feet. A set of rules has face of a popular tumult, and though been drafted by the Major, in which he they may punish the rioters after it is proposes to admit as members men who over, they cannot prevent or check it. have been five years efficient members 'Phere has never been anything provoca-of the 8.V.C.; or who, being over 35 years tive in the attitude of the Volunteers of age, have had five years' training in their object island has been always simply some military corps, of which at least defence; and the Chinese authorities two years have been in the efficient ought to be as ready as any one to rauks of the S.V.C.; or who, being over recognise the value of their services, as 40 years of age, have been at least: two it is they who have ultimately to pay years members of some military organi= for the damage and loss caused by a sation; or who, being over 45 years of riot. age, can satisfy the committee to be Useful as the Volunteers would obelected that they will be useful memviously be in the event of a tumult, it bers; the general principle underlying has occurred to their Commanding this being, that every able-bodied man Officer, Major Morrison, as will be seen under the age of 40 ought to be or by an advertisement in our front page, have been an efficient member of the that a supplementary organisation is Shanghai Volunteers. The proposal fare required. In the event of a popular ther is that the uew Home Guard shall outbreak here, the first thought of be divided into small bodies, each res-everybody would be for the valet of the women and children, of whom there Bor of houses in its neighbourhood ponsible fur the care of a certain uum-
are now such numbers in the Settle-and there are to be four elected or ap: ments; and, indeed, the last time the pointed officers, to whom obedience shall Volunteers were called out, some of the be given, and who, with four other married members, not unnaturally, members, shall constitute the committee, stayed behind to look after their families. of which the officer commanding the The whole Volunteer Corps is not too §.V.C. for the time being shall be ex large to put down a riot here, if it arose, officio a member. Anns will not be and it would certainly be too small if issued to the Guard unless the Council its ranks were weakened by the absence at any time think it desirable, and no of all those members who had women drill will be exacted from the members. and children to look after. If danger In the event of the services of the Guard. came, every man here would wish to being required, it will be under the take his share in averting it, but those orders of the officer, naval, military or who are not in actual drill would ham-volunteer, for the time being in comper instead of assisting the efforts of mand of the armed force in the settle-the trained if they wished to join them. ment. This, of course, is merely a Still there is a large number of able-sketch of the proposed rules, which it bodied men, some of whom have served will be fur the meeting to be called to their time in this and other corps, whose consider. Of the value of Major Mortiservices may be made most valuable if son's scheme there can be no question. Major Morrison's proposition is adopted.
There is nu anticipation that the ser-He does not propose to form another vices of the new Home Guard will be volunteer corps, for there is no room in required; but its existence carnot. but the settlements for more than one; but give an increase of confidence to the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.