27th October.
To-pay's meeting of the China Association is called to deal with a question probably the most momentous and far-reaching which it has ever had to discuss. On no previous occasion has it, as the representative of an exclusively British public opinion, been called upon to take action demanding such thorough calm consideration, not merely from a local point of view but in a broad spirit of national statesmanship. As to the v of the fully matured public opinion of the Shanghai community there is only one thing to be said; but the fact must not be lost sight of, that on more than one ocean sion the sober second thought has only come after a rash judgment had been previously put forward, free to produce its evil effects and to cast doubts on the value of the community's wisdom. What the Association is now called upon todo is, to pub forward first its second thought, the one which it can stand on and maintain and the world can accept as the deliberate expression of an intelligent community's views.
Let us endeavour to put the whole position of the Treaty, its origin, object, prospects before our minds in as broad a spirit as possible, and as free as can be from purely local considerations at variat.ce with the great national interest the Association represents, and of which it is accepted the non-British portion of the community as the formal exponent.
For years complaints have been urged against the Chinese system of inland taxation, its abuses, its ill effects on trade and movement of The Peace Protocol contained a cods, and its injustice generally,
clause demanding that Trade questions and their bearing generally should be reconsidered and amendments in existing procedure made where such appeared necessary. This provision was inserted to meet a frequently expressed demand for something of the kind.
To secure the Protocol's object, a joint commission was appointed. His Majesty's Government nominated as chiefeommissioner Sir James Mackay,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.