An attempt was made some three weeks ago by representatives of the Hankow Government, acting under insteuetions from Mr. Sun Fo (son of the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Minister of Communications in the Hankow Government), to seize the Jcompany, but the directors refused to let them do so, on the groun [that the China Merchants' Ca, Was not an official undertaking. but ly commercial enterprise and that, in their capacity ax directors, they' simply represented the inter-jests of the different shareholders. The agents of *he Hankow Govern: ment said that these were their orders and that a sitect had bee The directors then appealed to} the local authorities, and Gen. Po Chung-hsi, Commissioner for Martin Law for the Shanghai and Woosune Districts, forbade interference with the company's affairs. If the Han-Kow Government wanted to take it lover, he said, they must buy. the! benares or at least pay for what it was worth. The Hankow agents then left and there was no further interference, Never before this, had there been attempt by any" one the nervous Chinese govern the China Merchanta'
Coy though during the Manehi cine w supervisor was appointd government. This never attempted feontrol the company nor did he in: terfere with ite working.—Hie duties were simply confined C4] supervising, ina nts ction ical Conn ange and is und rect way of fare to surrender himself to the ies, Mr. Fu being one of the largest shareholders ut the company.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.