sud March.
Tue New York Journul of Coinmerce of the 20th ultimo publishes a very interesting account of an interview had by one of its representatives with Mr. J. S. Fearon, on the eve of the latter's departure for Shanghai. It is well known here that during his visit to the United States Mr. Fearon has done a great deal of excellent work for foreign interests generally and Anglo-Saxon interests in particular, in China. As we have already shown, the United States Administration has taken up energetically the question of the maintenance of the Open Door in China, as well as that of the promotion and expansion of American trade with the Far East, and Mr. Fearon':
vice has been of great value in the consideration of these questions. He has, the Jarrad says, paid several visits to Washington, and has had frequent conferences at New York with members of the American Asiatlé Association and others interested in the questions already mentioned. We have said that Mr.
Fearon's labours have_ particularly benefited Anglo-Saxon interests, be-ensue there is no doubt that if the American Administration had not taken up the question of the Open Door when it did, our progress in China. might have easily received a serious check during' the preoccupation of our Government in South Africa. The good under-pily promises to be permanent be-standing that now exists and" hap-
tween the two great English-speaking nations could not have been better or more profitably exemplified that it has been in the negotiations which Mr. John Hay, the U. S. Secretary of State, has brought to such a successful conclusion. It is understood at Washington that the complete equality of opportunity and treatment secured for American citizens in all territory in China leased or influenced by any Foreign Power, is to be shared by the citizens and subjects of all the contracting Powers. The Washington correspondent of the Journal of Commerce Tt would} be exceedingly difficult for Russia or any other Power controlling a sphere of influence in China to refuse to the citizens of other countries than the United States the freedom of trade relations which have been promised, because the subjects of other nations would insist that they are entitled to the privileges of the most favoured nation. It is possible that surreptitious discrimination in such the grant of valuable franchises lib not invit sal protest from the Dut it is felt that the combined interest of all would require, in the matter of tariffs and internal charges at least, that ial of equal freedom to one should be treated as the injury of all.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.