{The following letter has been handed us for publication Peking, January bth, 1888.
Srm,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated November '21xt referring to the newspaper rumours on tween the existing Europea the subject of a convention in Progress be-Companies and the Chinese Authorities as well as to the apprehensions created by them among the members of the Chamber of Connneree.
My colleagues and myself fully appreciate anil share the wish expressed by the Cham-Ver of Commerce that no monopoly of telegraphic eomnuication between Chine and Europe or America should be created and that the tariff should be as low as consistent with existing vested interests, but we regret that the Chamber should have adduced in support of their views more than one statement which by being far f exact, takes away from the value which under other circumstances an expression of the opinion of the Chamber would possess.
My colleagues and myself are also of opinion that it would have facilitated matters in this instance and would undoubtedly do so in future, if the Chamber instead of acting upon rumours would take the trouble to ask for information, informally, through their Chairman, where it was most likely to yet it; the universal courtesy with which the Chamber of Commerce has always been met by the foreign Representatives would seem to indicate such a pro-coeding not only as the most advantageous, but also as the most natural one.
have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, vow Branpr. To BE. H. Lavers, Esq., The Chairman of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.