An interesting letter has been' received in Shanghai from one of those who left for England, with several other volunteers, by the M.M.S. Polynésien a little while ego. The majority of the men are travelling third-class, and the writer says that their two six-berth cabins "are going to be quite comfortable until we get warmer weather, when we shall sleep on deck, of course. Our first meal was awfully funny. We sailed' into the dining saloon, and sat down among soldiers, sailors, Chinese, Greeks) and others, with a sprinkling of ladies. One is given three plates and a knife and fork, and the food, which appears to be wholesome though a trifle oily, is passed round hand to hand with occasional assistance from a garson. So far we have been allowed practically the run of the ship, but with a big crowd coming on at Saigon, that may be stopped. As long as we can have lots of deck room, other things do not matter a great deal."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.