"T take it your ultimate am—bition is to be able to satisfy the Treaty Powers that the important interests both foreign and Chinese in Shanghai can be safeguarded equally well under Chinese management as they have hitherto been under a municipality in charge of foreigners only. You Chinese gentlemen who represent big Chinese interests here are under no misapprehension as to the difficulties which have to be overcome before that goal can be reached, but in your capacity as members of the Chinese Advisory Committee you can do a great deal to bridge over those difficulties by creating a better atmosphere through frank and open discussions between us on municipal matters, and by removing that feeling that in every effort on our part towards improving and developing our municipal activities we have an ulterior motive of a political nature. We on our part will not~- withhold from you our sympathy and help in those discussions.
"To summarize, the objections to. Chinese government which have been advanced, and are still held by the foreign population of Shanghai, will most readily be removed if and when it is seen that you, our Chinese friends, are willing and able to cooperate with us in aiming at go ahead and efficient administration of this Settlement.
"T trust, gentlemen, that you will avail yourselves of this favourable opportunity to have an exchange of views, and thus create an atmosphere of friendliness which will. I feel sure, be to our mutual benefit.
"T will now ask you to drink the health of the members of the Chinese Advisory Committee."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.