Tne meeting of the Shanghai Branch of the China Association on Monday will be memorable from the fact that it was marked by the retirement from the Committee of the Chairman of the Branch, Mr. I. M. Campbell, whose services have been invaluable.to the Association, and whom it is not easy to replace. He has been a most vigilant guardian of British rights in China, thoroughly independent, and always with a strong grasp of the situation, while his eminent ability as a, sperker has enable¢ him to take his audiences along with him. He has been. very ably seconded by Mr, 'Talbot, who has' retired at the same time from the post of Secretary. - Uno avulse non deficit alter, but even our conviction of the truth of this cannot do much. to mitigate our regret at the loss the Association has suffered.
There was one matter which Mr, Campbell mentioned in the exhaustive speech with which he moved the adoption of the report and accounts of the Association for the: past year, which came. at the end of lis speech, but which should: be specially emphasised.. It was the, matter of the' Whasang Massacre. No one who. was at: the public meeting at the Astor. Hall. in August, 1895, will forget how foreigners in China, and indeed almost'the whole civilised: world, were moved. by that atrocious crime. 'I'he Press everywhere took it up and urged on Lord Salisbury that he should insist on. proper yepara~ tion and on the punishment: of the guilty parties, - Sir Nicholas O'Gonor, then H.M.'s Minister at Peking, seemed to beas full of generousindignationns the foreign public iti China' and. the Press, and the ''sungli Yamen were go frightened when. they learnt that a number of British subjects had been killed that they were ready to do anything to.avert the retribution which they expected. Sir Nicholas assured his nationals io: his telegram to. the China Association that the culprits concerned, -high or, low, should be punished as they deserved. Now if there is one thing we are certain of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.