The efficiency expert, beloved of our American friends, has not hitherto played a_ greatly prominent part in the life of Shanghai, but we should like his views as to whether a man can be expected to perform the same amount of labour while a typhoon' is about as in other summer weather. A few months ago, it may be remembered, our Chefoo correspondent drew attention io the feeling of irritability caused by the winds there, but, hesitating to commit himself, hinted that there might be little more in the accepted theory than the presence of sand and dust in abnormal quantities. Here, however, we are as often as not faced with the remark which optimists invariably make as soon asa_ typhoon begins to, blow up, "Isn't it beautifully cool!" Others, not feeling the heat in such degree, see no cause for this beatific attitude, and being thoroughly on edge the moment the wind starts howling with typhoon force, consider that it is impossible for them to do decent work until the storm has passed. This is where we want our efficiency expert, a man who Will consider the con-fioting views and Jay down something which we can follow. After all.
it is net merely the ordinary @isinclination for work which attends any advanced state of civilization, which has to bs considered, but a problem which taipans ought to bear in mind in estimating what they may expect out of their staffs.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.