When, therefore, the Cantonese appear to be fairly reasonable, offer to put an end to the strike and boycott and permit the resumption of trade and-ask in exchange an inferease. in tariffs which would not amount in a year to the present monthly loss to British trade, the merchant who would reject the opportunity offered would be a very hard-headed,, far-sighted and consscientious person indeed. One can-_ not really expect the Hongkong] commercial community to sit down first and figure out what their resumption of trade is going to mean indirectly and at some remote period to international trade in the Yangtze or in North China, or what it may some day contribute to the dangers or discomforts of missionaries in remote interior provinees. These questions belong in the feld of speculation and not within the field of local. trade interests, they fare matters for statesmen and diplomatists to worry over and settle! among themselves and have no Dearing upon the demand for piece! goods in the Canton delta nor upon! the exports available at Canton and Swatow when normally amiable commercial relations are restored.
No Government has given tionals who want to trade China any reason at all during the past 18 months to pause before closing a lucrative bar sider how it might ment's formed, plans for action in Chi
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.