To the Editor of the "Noara-Cursa Dany News."
Sim,—In view of "A National Uprising and International Episode," and the prospect that should Sir Robert Hart's prophecies come true, future Christmastides in China may be singularly deficient in the "peace on earth" predicted for us many '8 century ago, it is interesting to sea what have become of some previous prophecies by the never to be too highly respected Ivspector-General. In Baron von Gum-bach's work, The Treaty-rights of the Foreign Merchant," 902, footnote, read, "The Inspector-General, Mr. Hart, March 5, 1874, prophesies that the competition coming from the Chinese side will, in ten or twenty years' time, have swept the foreign flag from the coasting trade of Chins.' He also predicts that, within the seme space of time, the foreign trade of Shanghai will have been transferred to Chinkiang; but that the foreign community of Chinkiang will naturally be a smaller one."
'May we not conclude that an ideal Inspector-General is not necessarily an ideal prophet too? And without an atom of ambition towards succeeding Sir Robert as "1.G.,". may not many of.us don the prophet' mantle for a moment, and predict that Prophet Hart's r.cent forecast will come to pass about as truly as the previous ones above recorded?
I am, ete., Novopy Is Particunar.
Christmas 1900,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.