Shanghai, May 5, The following is a manifesto of Chinese merchants "for the formation of the world public" with regard to the Tsinan tragedy, issued by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai:—
"The Japanese Government, re-gardies' of international Jaw' and heedless of the treaties between China and Japan, despatched troops. to the province of Shantung, on the plea of providing protection for the Japanese residents, but its real motive was evidently to hamper the progress of the Nationalist military "Our Government has altogether been following a conciliatory policy. Since the Japanese could find no clue to pick a quarrel, they have allowed their troops to act in most Provocative ways, and, unmasking themselves as protectors of the Japanese residents, they have fired indiscriminately from uns mounted fon the streets, with the result that a great many of our soldiers and people were killed.
"As if these provocations were not enough, they have massacred Tsai Kung-shih, our Commissioner for Foreign Affairs of Shantung, by plucking his eyes and cutting off his nose. Such atrocity is not seen to-day, even between belligerent countries, but, if we were to speak of uncivilized tribes accustomed to barbarous acts, such bruiality"might "perhaps ye con-
"The conduct of the Japanese troops is a dark spot on the history of Eastern Asia, but it is like a black spot inthe history of the whole human race. Japan is one of the world powers and een 44 place of importance in the history
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.