Mr. D. J. Lewis, in seconding, said:—-Mr. 'Chairman, ladies and gent'emen,—We have' alrendy vbserved from the telegrams which have appeared in the local Press Jof the deep interest taken by finan-feal circles in London in the pre-Timinary announcement which was nave by our Directors before the balance sheet itself was published and I venture to think that our Chairman's speech today will evoke greater world-wide interest than ever before in the history of the Corporation. For many. years past it has unfortunately been necessary for the Chairman for the time being to refer to the political unrest, to the wars and rumours jof war in China, and to the exploitation of the province by sue-ive war lords. 'The past year has probably been the worst within [the experience of any of us here present. All the usual troubles prevail and in addition the outbreak of anti-foreign and' particularly anti-British feeling has added {to our difficulties. It may be, as Jour Chairman has stated, that this outburst is partly due to a growing spirit of Nationalism amongst certain sections of the Chinese mnation, but it is most certainly large-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.