To the Editor of the "Norru-Cuisa Dany News."
Six,—Owing to my absence from Shanghai, I have only to-day bad the pleasure of reading Mr. Dudgeon's letter of the 18th inst., in answer to the one from me you were good enough to publish, and I would now crave a few lines of your valuable space in which to reply. I will confine myself only to what appear to me the more important prints, the others cin take care of themselves, merely remarking that I was of course fully cognisant of S-ction 13 in Article VIII, and that Article IIT attracted my attention because of an appearance of slight carelessness in the drawing of the Treaty, for no provision is made for the disappearance of Article TIT if Article 'VIII comes int" force. This slight carelessness is farther accentuated by the uso of the term "Canton Province" in the legal test of an important official docu. ment.
However, that is after all a very small matter, and to turn to more serious on 1,—Mr. Dudgeon makes allusions to the views of an Association of which I am a member—of course the China Association—but I fail to see the point. Iam not acting as the spokesman of the China Association, whose views will no doubt be elicited in due course. Moreover, one can very well be a member of an Association without subscribing to aillts views Some years ago tue China Association was "shrieking" for Bimetallism also 2,—As regards the position of the British Government, way perfectly aware that Annex B 2 says the surtaxes, in addition to not being pledged for any new foreign loan, are not be pledged to or held tobe security for liabilities already contract ed by China, except in so far as likin re venue has already been pledged to an existing loan. But that does not in the least affect the solid fact behind the phraseology, and that fact is that so long as Chiva can y her way all will be well, but, if she fails to do 80, if, so to speak, she has to call 'a meeting of her credit ors, then here is a very solid and satisfactory asset to be taken into consideration. Mr. Dudgeon will hardly assert that Annex B means that if China fails to meet the obligations imposed on her by, let us say, the Iademnity, nevertheless the proceeds of the surtaxes are never to be touched, but that China is always to be left in full and enjoyment of thei creditors employ them healthy but unremunerative recreation of what is known in vulvar parlance as "whistling for their money." Neither, I inmgine, will he assert that China's stability is such that no thought of her possible bankruptey influenced the tish Government in the nego gland is for political reasons obviously desirous of keeping China on her legs, if that can in any way be managed, and alarge source of revenue which under contingent cies can be collected under the Receiver's own eye is a useful and powerful factor in the affair. Therefore, it appears to me, fully justified in implying that the British Government is pleased to have instituted a fund on which it can, in case of necessity, come down.
3.—Now for "The People of China"~ Yes! I. repeat most. emphatically that "they don't come into this show at all." How are they advantaged if though they obtain "absolute freedom of circulation for their commodities without any of the harassing exactions and delays hitherto complained of," yet, when toat circulation ceases, that is to say, when they want to realise on their commodities, those very same "harassing exactions and delays" are waiting for them on the bank of the or at the road side in the shape of likin runner thinly disguised under a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.