Turning to matters more diplomatic, that of claims is at present supreme. Armies have presented their heavy bills; the losses of converts and some of the foreign missions have been separately considered now comes the list of individual and society claims to pass through the various Legations. The British view of the same interests us, as the inspection is being made here through Mr. H. P, Wilkinson, special commissioner on claims. One would this he was advocate for the Chinese Government. The claimants have had the rules before them, which the Ministers had determined, and both as " matter of conscience and a matter of policy they have conformed to these rules. Bir. Wilkinson has ideas of his own. Some claims are cut apparently because the party concerned has asked for compensation of property more than seemed to Me. Wilkinson proper for a person to possess. The value of property must also be reckoned according to original rice rather than what is the cost now. So far as we can learn the catastrophe of last year is going to be a heavy loss Gnancially to mbst Englishmen in Peking, Other nationals will fare better.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.