There was a large attendance at the Philharmonic Hall on Thursday night (16th) on the occasion of a-debate on a subject of ecole interest viz.) wher. "the tenjency of China's development is to lessen the chances of profitable employment for
ing this proposition n prepared foreiguersin the country." A paper airm-G. MH. Playfair, and another, it opposition to it, by Mr. G. Taylor.
The President (Mr. R. E. Bredon) having opened the proceedings with a few Pfcliminary observations, called upon Br.
yyfair to read his paper, which was os follows The thesis which I have undertaken to support to-night, viz., that The tendency nan, of whom two-thirds are cultivated of thiua's development is to lessen the savages." When he heard of trade routes chances of profitable occupation for foreiguthat were going to be opened up to Yunnan and Burma he always asked what is going ers in the cout," is one which is very happily selected, because it allows wf mud to be the result of them. There is cer-fair argument on both sides. At the same time, without being ® cronker, or a possi-in Yunnan, goods ceti be carried from Han-tain amount of import trade now going on mist, or a disbeliever in the all-round kow to Yunnan for considerably less money superiority of the Caucasian over the than in any other part of China, but when Mongol, I think the side L have espoused Yunnan comes to be generally supplies is the easier of the two to support, and I with goods the question of where she is going feel no necessity to shelter myself behind to be supplied from is one assessing aped the beneficent bye-law of society, interest fur the traders of Shanghai. which provides that " opinions advanced by Mesny seemed to think that Burma, be any member in debate wall not necessarily; the ultimate source of import into Yunnav, represent his actual views, but rather what but would that do peuple here avy gued nuay be urged un one the other of the Referring to the condition of question under discussic I occupy, in generally, the speaker said he wai short, the vantage ground of one convinced much inclined to think that the ren that the proposition he supports represents made by Lord Salisbury to the effect that a living fact, and that i Ireland requires twenty years of resolute more certainly losing any Guonan. He huped General Meany would government, applies in an eminent degree to once have possessed to be a Ton Ground, where Europeans may pick up tell them something about the prospects ut gold and silver with the minimum of ex-Yunnan and how far the popular opinion ertion. I firmly believe that to-day the that it is a kind of El Dorado or Golconda, gold exists in dust rather than in vuggers, and the hopes of the great future in store and the silver in isolated fragments rather for it are likely to be realised. than in veins, and that the yield of the one and the other is approaching exhaustion. to the meeting remarked that some of the The Chairman in patting the resolution products of Yunnan are very valuable such things when Kurope and China first came Let us begin by reviewing. the state. of as musk and gold. Their value would help into practical contact. I do not ask you to to compensate for the expense attendant go back to the very earliest times of com-on the conveyance of imports and exports to and from Wanna, He aleo. remarked mercial intercourse, 300 years ago, for the visits of Western traders in those days im regard to what Mr. Muirhead had said were so intermittent that there was " paucity that Christian Missions in Yunnan would of result which may safely be neglected. be productive of good in promoting the d It will suffice for our purpose to pass over lopment of the provines. Th two centuries and a half and find ourself were many of them o at the epoch of the Treaty of Nankin; Karens of Birma among whom missionary the opening to trade of the crigieel success had been phenomenal. The prosports, At that time China was still virgin perity of the mi-sion would result probably soil and the Pagoda Tree flourished in full in the rapid eley luxuriance. The Chivese brought down to.ces, which would lead to improvew the wharves their teas and silks, camphors the productions of the province ai and sugars; they carried away in exchange mechanical arts. the linens, cottons and woollens, the opium The Chairman then put the resolution to and the metals which the West conveyed the meeting and it was carried unanimously. to their shores. It was a dai barter General Mesny, in reply to Mr. Bredun's pure and simple, and of primitive ideas juestious about the prospects of trad unuan, said the only routes on the subject of relative values, which may be best illustrated by what hap-likely to be improved in a satisfactory pened in Japan, That country, you will manner, were the route by the Red River remember, had large stores of gold and Tongking and one or two others that even a gold currency, an advantage never were likely to be improved by the opening enjoyed by China. At the same time of Chungking, and something also' might the value of the more precious metal waa done by way of Burma, He had not so little appreciated that it stood. to silver recommended the building of railroads in me proportion of not much over 3 to: 1, Yunnan, because the country offers too in Europe at that period the relation many natural obstacles, but till something can doubtless be done to improve matters wizangers were quick '$0 take advantage of was about 15 to 1. ow Western
relating to trade there. He was very Eastern ignorance, and Japan bade fair to fearing they had given him and for the fateful to the meeting for the attentive be depleted of her hoard to the advantage of European pockets. In process of time vote of thanks they had accorded. inevitable reaction set in; the Japanese learnt by hard experience to revise the proportional values of the precious metals, To Darkes Grey Harn—Lockyer's Suland the debating societies of the day no phur Hair Restorer is the quickest, best, doubt argued, with much plausibility and safest; costs less, effects more than any other. force, that the tendency of Japan's deve-'The colour produced is most natural. Lockyer's lopment was to lessen the chances of pro-Sulphur is the only English Hair Restorer fitable occupation for foreigners in the Vuniversally sold. country.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.