Meeting of Merchants to Consider Its Formation 'A meeting of metal importers was hold at the General Chamber of Commerce, "North-China Daily News" Building, on Wednesdi a view to forming an Associ fon of Metal Dealers. in Shanghai.
Mr. J. S. S, Cooper, who presided, raid that recent articles which had appeared' had worked up an interest which accounted for the large number present, There. sed to be an ion of this sore here and he did not know why thut association had failed. They should make this association as wide us' possible and it should have national boundaries, He only hoped in calling this meeting. to elicit the views! of those prerent, In the ensuing discussion Mr. Wong Kok-shan said that as importers they stood between the Tuanufacturers and the dealers. The Lad market of past years had Urought into prominence certain problems which called for a satis factory solution, problems. whic! could only be brought about through united efforts, First and foremost the question of short weigh ich importing firms had to tw their dealers, but for which they ly could get redress from the ers, The next was the question short a With the with them was the matter of ill tolerance which were overlooked by them when the market went merrily, but which suddenly assumed exaggerated importance when things went againat them, The Association should be a standing organ PROF. MACNAIR'S LECTURES, The Taiping Rebellion The last lecture on "China's For-sign Relationships" given by Pro: fessor H. F. MacNair under the auspices of the Foreign P.W.CA. on Wednesday concerned itself with the Taiping Rebellion, spirited narrative Dr. MacNair {traced the outstanding events of the Rebellion and drew parallels between the disturbed conditions of that time and the events of the past year.
In describing the general dissatisfaction which made it comparatively, easy. for Hung Suisshven, the Kuangsi leader, to rally the dis contented to his standard, the lee~ turer pointed out that for some time foreign sympathy rather leaned ta the Taiping side, but eventually, fas the Taipings had no firm civil government, favour was transferred to the Imperialists and foreign nationals were permitted to attach themselves to the Chinese gover ment troops. The American, Prederick Ward was given command of the Imperialist forces and under his daring leadership they gained. the name of the Ever-Viciorious, Army. After Wand and hit twa successors Major: Charles George Gordon took command and under his leadership the Imperialists gained city after. city until in July, 1864, after a siege of 11 years they recovered Nanking.
Referring to the battle of Muddy Flats the speaker noted such historical repetitions as the influx of refugees to the Settlement and the proposition advanced then as well a8 Tecently, that' a radius of -30 miles round Shanghai be declared neutral territory. He also noted that Major Gordon replaced a section of his troops who had deserted by putting in their stead a band of Taiping Prisoners, thus paralleling the recent enrolment of the bandits in the army.
A hearty vote of thanks was paid to Dr. MacNair at the conclusion of the lecture and the announcement that he would probably give another course in the autumn was enthusinst= feally received, Five thousand rifles, 100 carbines, fan assortment of field pieces, max:
ind pistols, were seized by the Fiench Concession authorities. when Chang Yuen-ming's the, defeated troops entered Shanghai two months according to an estimate in the Chinese newspapers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.