Feb, 22.
Tur large attendances throughout the opening day of the British Chambers of Commerce conference testified to the great public interest taken in the proceedings. Of that interest, there can be no question whatever. If the conference had nothing else to consider but its recommendations as to the spending of the Boxer Indemnity, it should prove historic. For in this respect the importance of the Chambers' decisions is. paramount. Even if the views hitheto offered at Home as to the best way of spending the money were far more helpful than they have been, there can be no body of men and women so well qualified as the experts whom the British Chambers have consulted and gathered together to advise on the education of Chinese. There is a further consideration on which the Chambers may fairly claim to be heard. It is quite certain that if British merchants had not proved the sin-ring the expense of installation, ceritysof their interest in Chinese namely that marine insurance companies see no reason for offer-education by putting their hands in their pockets—pockets by no
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.