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Bir Robert Hart, Inepetor-General of the Maritime Customs of China, post he held has since 1863, was he geest of the China Association at a dinner held recently at the Criterion Restaurant, and a very large company assembled to do him honour. Mr... Scott was in the chair, and among those present were his Excellency the Chinese Minister, his Excellency Wang Ta Sich, Lord Fitzmaurice, Sir Cecil C. Smith, Admiral the Hon. Sir E. Fremantle, Admiral Sir A. Moore, Lieutensot-General Sir Edmund Barrow, Sir Charles Lucas, Sir Thomas Jackson, Sir Henry Blake, Lieutenant-General Sir J. Bevan Edwards, Sir James L. Mackay, Major-General Sir Witsone Black, Sir Patrick Manson, Sir Robert Douglas, Sir John Furley, Sir George! Armstrong, Sit Charles Dadgeon, Sind. Bramston, Mr. R. 8. Gundry, Mr. A. Lind, Mr. J. W. Jamieson, Brigadier-General M. 8. Brownrigg, Mr. Richard D. Holt, r., Mr. H. H. Joseph, Mr. Byron Brenan, Mr. George "lamie~ son, Mr. W. Keswick, m. r., Mr. G. B. Dodwell, and Mr. C. Grenville Alabaster. After the loyal toasts, The Chairman proposed the health of Sir Robert Hart, remarking that before in the history of the ina Association had the members had the honour of entertaining gentleman who hed bed ea unique or distinguished 1 career as their guest of that evening; never before in their story had one man occupied for on the great posi All the civilised countries had recognieed his great services; he had received honours from all countries, including his adopted country. (Cheers.)
Sir Robert Hart was heartily cheered on rising to respond. After paying a tribute to the good work that was being done by the China Association, he said it was most gratifying to him to be received by them in the way that he had been that evening. China, as they knew, had been for many cycles living her own quiet life in " state of seclusion from the rest of the world, and she had been developing in a sort of family circle. But that development, although supposed to be death by some, had been full of life, and he was quite sure that the events of the years that were to come would show that energy and vitality had been stored up to meet the new earironment to be faced by China.
the times had changed. Formerly China was not in association with the rest of the world; but now foreign intercourse had been commenced and extended, and treaty relations bad been established and developed, and new problems were to be met. China was preparing to face those problems and was planning for the future. What that fature would be it was impossible for him to say, bat time would tell, and he was cure that they would hail with satisfaction every step. in the direction of progress. (Cheers.) The time of! transition might be long—both accidents and mistakes might have the effect of checking progress—but advance there certainly would be, and sooner or later, when the transformation was complete, with her immense territories, untold and yet to he developed wealth, with the millions of intelligent. law-abiding, and easily governed people new times, an appliances certainly come when China would show herself in the first rank amongst the Powers of the world, and would bea great factor in history. (Cheers.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.