London, Sept. 18.
A large and distinguished gathering was present at the luncheon of the China association to-day at the Hotel Wetaria a. AN: Lete presided.
Austen Chamberlain vag the principal guest, are each oe China, hi. Chamberlain ped warm tribute to the character of Sit solu dardan The speaker declared that it was idle to shut one's eyes to all the Gmeultien and serious issues involved in the present grave situation in China, He fetorred to the interral dissensions and the external influence seeking to prof by ike' minfortones of Ohina, but, rightly handled, he asserted, the situation would lead to belier relations than had existed for years past and would mark a real stage in the progress of China to liberty, unity and prosperity.
"gittatn, Me, Chamberlain continued, was inspired by nothing but goodwill to Ohina. She was ready to tke full account of Chinese aspirations, conscious that She had ne interests which would conflict with the real, abiding interests of China.
Britain would carry cwt the letter and the spirit of the Washington engagements, bet an atmosphere of goodwill and a united China, with an effective Central Govern-tent, were emential to the full fruition of these engagements, Britain was ready to review the sitantion and meet China half way: she would relinquish special rights proportionately 3. the Chinese Government could assure Betiah nationals the enjoyment of the ondary righto foreigners enjoyed in every country.
Sit Ronald Macleay re-echoed Mr. Chamberlsin's sentiments. He hoped that the Ghinese Government would meet them ina spirit of goodwin. Then, he believed, the Tari Conference would prove a milestone in the path of the realization of China will gladly surrender the special ar- ict with the real and abiding rangements which were brought into terest of China itself, and fortified being only in order to preserve) by the knowledge that id serving peace between China and the outer their own country they need world to tide over the interval be- nothing and oak nothing which. will tween the first great impact of West! not equally aval to the advantage of and East and the adaptation of China and the Chinese people Chinese institutions to the new con- (cheers read the other day in a news-shown our' paper a letter addressed by Admital willingness to advance, More than)Tsai, one of the Chinese delegates, 20 years ago by the commercial, toa journal in which he said: treaty of 1902 we sought to prepare''The British are a just people and way for abolition of ill-regulated' we should meet them at the comand hampering charges upon trade' ing conference with a warm hand-and to substitute for them a sound) shake.' If the Admiral represents tariff system on modern lines. At! Chinese feeling I can assure him the same time we agreed as far as in your name and in the name of all it might be in our power to assist, our country that our hand will go forward judicial reform in China and' out to meet his with the same to. waive our extraterritorial memory of old friendships and vith privileges whenever the progress of, the same desire to restore cordiality Ghinese judicial and other conditions' and confidence (cheers). I do not made it safe for us to rely on sich' conceal from myself that in many action by the Chinese authorities,' respects the circumstances are not as every civilized nation of the, those which I would have wished for 'West expected for its nationals in' an international conference of this every foreign country, kina.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.