He remarked that it was dificult to see hor? anything can be done in the way of an improvement in the financial reorganization of China so Tong as the drain of the military expenditure on the resources of the: country remains as at present. The effect, he said, is as prejudicial to the authority levy the taxes: as it is to the merchants, while the: country suffers an incalculable Loss from the holding up of trade. The militaristic system, he considered, locks all important schemes, for improving the state of the country. He welcomed the attempt made to crapple with the problem by the Disbandment Conference which met at Nanking last month.
Anti-Dritish agi tinued, had practically a now spirit of making itself felt," for which, 1] believe. we are, in no small part, indebted ty the personal influence of lig Bajesty's representatives at Peking and Hongkong."
Mr. Compton hoped that the re: cognition of tariff autonomy for China would not be made a steppingstone for de ands for the prompt and unconditional surrender foreign safeguards, "the removal of which is not yet warranted by existing conditions in China and can safely come about only. by a mutual process of adjustment.'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.