The article published yesterday on the miserable pittance on which British officers, arriving from Home with repatriated coolies, are expected to keep themselves, it may be for several months, until a ship can be found to take them home, has brought us so large a number of letters that it is impossible for us to answer them all personals. And at the same time we should prefer, though with regrets to the writers. not to publish them. Most of these letters eagerly offer hospitality to the officers, and we would ask their writers to address themselves to Licut.-Colonel Hayley Bell. c/o the Maritime Customs, Chairman of the United Services Association. Other letters confine themselves to comment. On this point, one word may be said. The whole subject was not a particularly pleasant one to air in a newspaper. It was, however, necessary to do so because we knew that private representations had been made at Home from as far back as last March; and there comes a time when the only chance of obtaining redress is to make what is commonly called a stink about it in a newspaper. That having been done. we think it would be preferable to await the result at least for a little time. Our readers m: be assured that we shall not hesitate to speak out again if the case requires it. Meanwhile there will be no fear that any officer will be allowed by Shanghai to go in want.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.