London, Aug. 7.
Co: nmercial opinion is, 1 think, of very satisfied at the' way the arrangements for settlement of the Shanghai troubles ar: dragging along. As a result I cannot: say that the proposal of the Foreign Office to hold a judicial inquiry is all popular. It seems that ori ginally the intention was that four Powers should he represented, namely, the United States, Japar, France' and ourselves. Then Italy wanted to be represented on the ground that her Minister in Peking was the dover of the Diplomats Corps, while her Consul also torn ed part of the Consular Body in Shanghai. Next it was suggested that China might very well like to appoint @ Judge, ea that altogether there would be six. France, however, is not keen to take part in th inquiry because she does not wish to be involved in the consequences of its decision, whatever it may be, and I gather that the hitch in the announcement of the Commissioners is due to this attitude. The French, are, of course, afraid that if they take part in the investigation, own position with respect to their separate settlement muy be affect-
Who Would be Judges?
There then arose the question as how Jong the Judges would take to reach the Far Eust, Presumably the British Judge would be sent from Hongkong, tite Japanese Judge from Tokyo, the Amer ican Judge from Manila, and the French Judge from Ssigon, but no tone seems to know where the Italian Judge would come from, and if he had to be sent wut, clearly he could not reach the spot until after several weeks' delay. Moreover, nobody seems to be sure whether ies to appoint a Judge at all. In any case Parliament hus risen without any definite statement on the subject, and it is not little unfortunate, because we all Know that the authorities were very towards the close of the not to have questions about China asked in the House of Cora-mons at all, on the ground that they were embarrassing. Such an-swore as there were did not always convince everybody as being very satisfactory, though the Foreign Office managed up to the last to avoid having to admit mission, and said that until it did receive the document it was unable to express any opinion on the Sudings of the Commission. O1 have thought that the these findings could have been obtained by cable.
As for the Tariff Revision Conference, no one imagines that it will be limited to a consideration of an increase in Customs. Any such in-crouse would be absorbed by China's debts and would not benefit the finances of the Chinese Government at all. It is reported hero that the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai has informed the Chinese Chamber of Commerce that it would be willing to include representation of the Chinese on the Municipal Council and also to restore the Mixed' Court. If this is correct, it seems that the bases of an immediate settlement fare not very far removed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.