A very influential association has just been formed for the purpose of urgitig upon the Government the institution of a searching inquiry—by means either of a Royal Com mission or a Parliamentary Committee into the security of our food supply in time of war. The preliminary list of members includes no fewer than, Snine dukes, thirty-nine flay officers of the navy, one field marshal and five general officers of the army, and a host of members of Parliament, naval experts and others, to-cother with fftwen representatives of trade ions and other organisations of work:
men. The first meeting was held on Inesday at Stafford House, the resience of the President, the Duke of Sutherland. It was made clear that the movement was intended to be strictly nonpolitical. Some of the members, like Mr. Chaplin, did not disguise their belief that Protection is the true means of securing an adequate supply—a home-grown sup: ply—of food for war time; but others, anion whom were some of the most pro-immerit of the working-class. represent: tives, made it equally clear that while in favour of an enquiry they will have noth ing to do with Protection. An inquiry can certainly do no harm, even if it doos no good; but it is pretty plain that a desire for Protection is at the bottom of Chou, they ro-appeared and protested ling the manager to sign a bond, which against his course, and finally died of} was witnessed by some tradespeople hunger, rather than live under the new] in his That bond may yet the movement. There are, too, many who regard the fear of our being starved out in war time as a baseless scare so long as we dynasty.
The Magistrac In the present day, Yung Pring is the head of a Prefecture, the present holder of the office being a Hanlin, who in the year of his examination, gained the dignity of Tan Hua," i.e. third position on the lists in the Empire, He was formerly a censor in Peking, and after the fall of the capital in 1900, followed the Court to Hsianfu, whence he came here in the spring of 1901. This! is his first, official appointment onside of the capital, and he seems to be a man destined to rise as time goes on.
The Lulunghsien magistrate, who also resides in the city, is a decent old fellow of 72 years of age, who has been in official service over 40 years.
In addition, Wwe have a force of 300 soldiers in the city under the command of an old student "of the Wupei HsnehtYang in Tientsin, He is a man who has seen a good deal of foreigners from time to time; has a bright intellect and a good judgment, is familiar with many of Dr. Richard's books, and an uncompromising opponent of the national evil, opium. Indeed, it is pleasing to know that not one of our principal officials is addicted to the vice.
Two or three troops of soldiers have passed through the city within the last: prove his undoing. The business house concerned are not disposed to let the matter drop, though pressure is being put upon them to shoa lid." One wonders what the Viceroy would do with such a fatherly official," and we can only hope that the miscreant may soon meet with his just deserts
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.