'A. split has taken place in the Club here. Hitherto complete harmony has reigned in the foreign community. The tendency towards cleavage in the diplomatic world has been evident for some time, Russia and France have been playing their reles hand in hand at the Tsungli Yamen, but hitherto it was confined entirely to politics. It is feared that our social relations have been, or will now be, seriously impaired. What ever the cause may have been, the Ministers for Russia and France, with nearly all their staff, have withdrawn from the This is a very serious step both for the finances of the Club and the entertainment and convenience of the members of the two Legations. The Club is the social centre here and all our amusements, whether it be tennis, horse-racing, skating, cards, the mar, billiards, or reading-room, all' are centred in it. ' A large section of the community, including not a few ladies, will now be debarred from attending the Club in any of its multifarious objects. A Bachelors' Ball in contemplation is to be proceeded with. The reason assigned is said to be the preponderance of the English element in the Club. At a late meeting held some few weeks ago, the officers for the year were elected, and the lots fell on the Ministers of the United States and Germany and the British Charyid'Agfaires. The minor offices were filled up entirely from the English community and it is supposed that this has ven' offence and led to the resignation en loc of the two tions on the i New Year's Day. In this as in all other matters France follows and adheres closely to the Russian lead. To express sympathy with the Club in its present position and to show his displeasure at the policy pursued, one of our visitors sent a cheque of $100 to be applied toa Visitors' Race Cup, or in any other way the Committee might determine. We hope the rift will not only not widen but that some means may be devised for healing the difference. In other respects it is highly commendable and praiseworthy to see how the two Legations stane shoulder to shoulder. United we stand, divided we fall, as the proverb hath it. It is rumoured that the French Minister took
Although there are five members of the the initiative in bringing about this split. Club in his own Legation, it is said-he received two votes colt. Count Cassini was on the Committee last year and the deletion of his name this year most probably arose from the knowledge that he intended soon returning to Europe. No Minister is more respected or has done more for the community than Count Cassini.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.