Here we are a fairly large foreign community to whom under 'Treaty with the Chinese Government @ very small portion of this sin fact an infinitesimal por-apportioned in which we may' and it has become through its position at the mouth of China's greatest river, tapping the immensely rich productive areas through which it flows, the most important mart for these products for shipment to-all parts of the world and fute which the products of forei countries are received for distribu-vin throughout China. It is the system of barter, each country offering for sale its products in exchange for the products of the But unfortunately this limited Settlement is asked to absorb not only the foreign traders, but the Chinese merchants who "want to buy and sell their products and they are very numerous, and not only these but also many Ohinese officials and politicians who find this foreign area a refuge from their Government's interference with their political opinions oF their finances.
Tam not going to enter into any Jdiseussion as to the political part lof this state of affairs or the arguments for or against it, Iam only saying there it is. It exists, and, in order to govern the Settlement the satisfaction of all concerned, the problems have become very diffevlt, All I would like to to my Chinese friends here to-night is that in my experience allowing for this state of affairs I can assure them that every possible consideration is given to them by the niembers of the Shanghai Municipal Council on which I have sat for a number of years, consistent with the necessity of safe-guarding the regulations under which the Settlement is governed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.