The officials of Kuangtung have recently been reminded by a very forceful appeal from Peking as to the duty of completely suppressing the opium traffic in every form before the close of 1916. The edict is, more suggestive for its admissions than for its general statements, though those are not without value, if correct It points out first of all the absolute reliability of the British Government to the promises which they made to China in regard to the course they would follow with Indian opium—if China did certain things. Tt also suggests that if China fails to discharge 495 its side of the contract, Great Britain will not be expected necessar ily to bold her word. It also points out the terrible national calamity that will fall upon China, in the eyes of the civilized world, if she fails to keep her promises, and this, too, though China was in the van of civilized nations thousands of years ago. Lastly, the people are reminded that all the better side of the American nation are with the people of China, and have in many ways, not least by the expression of public opinion, assisted China, and strengthened her hands in the great
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.