The annual general _mecting of the Shanghai Branch of the China Association held on Thursilayaiternoonatthe Shanghai Club. Mr. C. J. Dudgeon presided, and there were present Messrs.
P. Bland, J. lo Gard'ner, J. Morrison, J. ott. (Comm ruttee), H. Browett, M. Youn Hearn, C.
D. Brand, Prentic 'Adamson, J. Thorburn, W. Lamond, jr., R.A. Ganphell, J. Tui J. Welch, F Anderson, F. Gi. B. Allen,' E. Jenner Hess, C. J. Johnston, J. TI. Ash ud Leonard Kerr, secretary. The notice conven the meeting having been read, The Chairman said—In proposing the adoption of the Report and Accounts for 1898, I do not propose to occupy your time Jat any length. "In the report an attempt has been made not only to record the matters which have more specially occupied the attention of the Committee, but also to give prominence to the political events of the Year, events which undoubtedly carry with them consequences of far-reaching effect in the near future. It is upon the significance these political events that I desire more particularly to say a few words this afternoon; the work of the Committee in special matters, is, I think, fully enough dealt with in the report thatis before you. Living as we do on the actual scene of this present turmoil of Chinese polities, I would venture the opinion that, from the fact of our proximity to the events ave passing, we are ws somewhat out of focus; are undoubtedly taking around us, Int perhaps because they have not apparently shown immediate effect upon our day-to-day life, the tendency is towards treating further developments as they occur with growing indifference. However much we may have been startled by early movements, nothing now much surprises us—we have, in fact, in great measure come to look upon "alarm sand excursions" in Chinese affairs as being in the natural order of things. It is perhaps therefore not inappropriate that in our annual) report, and at our annual meeting, we should make some general survey of the political changes which have, in so short @ space of time, been brought about in China. The Great Powers have seized for themselves strategic points upon the coast, and that movement is still apparently in process of further development; the sea approach to the capital is now commanded by Great Br tain on one side and Russia on the other China has been forced into the opening of new ports for reasons political rather than commercial—a significant departure from Evssions Move been extacted from hier by previous policy; railway and mining con-
methods not far short of force; the Emperor has been dethroned, and is a prisoner in his own palace: the Dowager Empress ro-assumed power with a policy which, all outward appearance, is both reaction:
ry and anti-foreign, creating a position in Peking which, in view of what is going on elsewhere, is' nothing short of ludicrous. Now, as I have said, there is no doubt tha in the earlier stages of this political turmoil events were watched with excited interest, but, as cols are said to get used to skinning, so are we getting so accustomed to extraordinary occurrences in this coun-lat, I repeat, the tendency is towards receiv new developments with complacent indifference. You are probably by this time asking yourselves what T am driving at; my point is simply this, that there is danger in indifference, and th fore it is all the more important that we should have an Association such as thi: whose duty it is to keep, through an oryanised system, a watch upon events, and upon their relation to the interests which we are banded together to protect. Gentlemen, I feel tempted to go on to say something further in connection with the work of this Association. I have heard it said, and h been told myself, that the China Association is all very well, that it no doubt writes a lot, and spends a lot of money in telegrams, but, it is asked, what real effect has it; is, in fact, the' work done worth the bother onto gentlemen, Tean state wit of knowledge that the China Association, both in London and. through its branches, exercises very considerable influence, and that the work which it doves is well worth the trouble entailed. I know that it has been said that the Committee do not give the members enough information about what it is doing. Now in reply to this I would say that, though in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.