The saying of Lord Li Ching-fang at the Authors' Clab in London that Queen Elizabeth had to drivk beer for breakfast has been telegraphed all roand the world, But other things in the address, if less picturesque, are equally worth noting. The Chinese Minister's witty remarks about tea may be left for another note; and there is no need to demonstrate the troth of the observation that hina's influence on the West, exercised naconseinnly, and after the manner of distant star, b: gan it drew your explorers, year mistioaaries and your traders over to the Four Seas, to be followed by your guuoats and diplwatirts." But in respect of China's futore influence om the West, Lord Li Ching-fang touched on practical politic, He reminded his audience that China's mineral wealth: coal, iron, stone and clay fur poi—was neally untouched and almost jncaleulatle; and that ber reserve of Labour was equally vast. He luid stres~ on the econ-mical habits of the Chinese which most in time nuke to the workmen of that while g in human pat ore to hawker after each products," there need be little fear that hine's inflaence fas a consumer will not keep pace with her growth as a producer. In conelation the Minister esid thet he believed the genins of China to be essentially pracefal one," and that her inflaence into plough have noted the regrettable di that exists between the speeches of Chinese Wivisiers abroad aad the behaviour of the Chinese Gureroment at hone; and it is difficalt not to retort to Lod Li that before China cay inflaence the West after the optimistic fashion that he forecasts, she nuns Grat allow the West to influence her: and that auch the altitude of Lord Li's on fell provincial, in the matter of the Anhui concession, do not inspire much bube for the future, In course of time, no doubt the growing number of Chinese who go to Europe la search of learning should, influence their fellow-country-i different direction, th-ugh it must be confessed, the lest desirable results in Chinese students as a class. Tie fundamental trouble of the present time in Chioa is the contest Dstween the new forces and the old, of which the latter, foreseeing the loca of their former domination and with it of their gains, attempt to stave off the of day by ring up sentiments of antiforeignism, Ooce that conflict of forces is disposed of, there will probably be tle doubt of the picture that Lord Li Obing-fang has outlined. But the solution of the problem, however} earnestly desired by all China's well-wishers, implies a rather formidable condition to the realization of his forecast. from Lord Li Obiog-fang among the bomerona disp: tehes that he most write tothe Chinese Government would be timely and, let us hope, beneGcial.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.