The following copy of a letter addressed to Mr. W. R. Bennett, a shareholder, and by him communicated to the Directors of Langfeldt & Ca., Ld., is published for the information of the other shareholders in the Company, By order of the board, J, Feicse, Secretary. (001 This is to advise you to sell all shares you hold in Langfeldt a Ca, at once, As it is a Rotten Bubble And will soon Burst And beware of legal Shay} After you sell tell your Friends—B ware of Jones.
Most likely will Burst in June next when the Directors will not Lo liable Under Jappanesse lave.
Dr. Jous Fryen, who will be remembered in Shanghai, and who is now professor of Oriental languages and literature at the University of California, in the course of a recent lecture on the ''Government and Laws of China," delivered by him in San Francisco, characterised Li Hung-chang as an extinct voleano, and described the ex-Viceroy as a traitor to his word, a secret opponent of foreign civilizing influences, a royal favourite simply because of one timely net of military strategy whereby he aided the Empress Dowager." The lecturer said that Li's present job on the Yellow River, instead of being a position of doubsful honour conferred by the Empress-Dowager in an effort to lose the old statesman, as has been popularly reported, is n place of considerable preferment, requiring tact and wisdom in its management and signifying special confidence imposed by the royal ruler. Leaving the subject of Li Hung-chang's worth and unworth, the lecturer said that the redemption of the Chinese must be by slow stages. They have a remarkably efficient code of law: covering in terse and explicit detail a manner of crimes and fying their punishment, but these laws are¢ sd lotters ecause they are so wretchedly auministor ed through corruption and bribery and the application by judges of tortures to extort money from' the prisoner or his friends. As a race the Chinese are generally very law-abiding, and as. people they fare initthful, and in crowded cities or in the country districts one of their most evident characteristics is their prevailing cheerfulness.
Tue English papers are so full of lament tations over the pitiable condition of France and the incompetence nf the Republic, that it isa pleasure to find that there ly another side of the shield shown sometimes. The Westminster Budget so correspondent writes: Tf we want to know the average opinion of French people on the Dreyfus or any other question we must reid provincial newspapers. The constant predictions of " Bonapattist or Orleanist re-action that have appeared in print on this side of the Channel greatly irritate our neighbours, the immense ma jority of whom, as recent votes in thu Chamber testify, are ardent Republicans and no wonder. The following extract from a recent number of the Echo de Girch (Ardennes) may be safely taken as a gauge of public opinion "For thirty yours the Republic has uuromittingly. pursued its course, re-vstablishing the position ut Francs'sy cruelly Isid low Ly the Empire. During this Feriod our Government has wisely and calmly avoided conflicts with foreign Powers, and firmly repressed all attempts at an Imperial or Monarchical restoration. The continued attacks and machinations to which the Republic has been exposed from within, instead of shaking her stability, have but served to strengthen it. Master of its own destinies the French nation has no longer any desire with a light heart todon ancient fetters."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.