London, Nov. 8.
The China Association held its annual dinner in the Edward VII Rooms at the Hotel Victoria, North-cumberland Avenue, yesterday, when a large company, numbering some 200 and representing the varied Far WQastern interests London assembled. Mr. F, Andor-' son, President of the Association, occupied the chair, and was sup-' ported by Sir Ronald Macleay, British Minister to Peking, and Lieut-Gen. Sir George Macdonagh. Among others present were Sir George V. Fiddes, Rear-Admira) G. H. Barrett, Sir John Jordan, Sir Charles P. Lucas,: Sir Gilbert Grindle, Sir E. Denison Ross, Alfred Dent, Rear-Admiral Gurner, Sir J. A. Home, Sir Thomas Jack. son, Lord Victor Paget, Maj.-Gen Sir Dudley Ridout, Sir Newton Stabb, ete.
The usual loyal toasts were pro-rosed by the Chairman and dul. honoured.
In proposing 'Prosperity to the' China Association," the Chairman said:—H I have much pleasure in rising to propose prosperity to the China Association. I did not anticipate that it would fall to my lot to address you from this chair for the third year in succession, but I need not say that I highly appreciate the honour of having been onca more elected your President. the roar whirlwind of the General Election, with the loud torrent of words and cries, like the sound of many waters, ringing in our ears from morn to night, calling upon us to vote either for '"'tranquillity" or for "first class brains,' or for the new gospel "what's thine is mine ~what's mine's my own" amidst all this it is a little difficult, to transport our thoughts to the ends of the earth, and to the issues outstanding in the Far East, where they are as much in need of tranquillity us we are here. In China the politico] situation is as unstable as ever, but there is nothing new in that. 1) sometimes think that the French! proverb, "Plus ¢a change, plus e'est. la memo chose," is peculiarly applicable to China. Since the re volution in 1911, there has been; constant change, and yot the posi-! tion of affairs is not very different from that of 10 or 1 years ago;! and if we look back for many years before that, to the days of our fathers, and to the old time before them, we shall find that many of the problems of these days were Government, an apparent inability to make changes, when change is needed, without jeopardizing the whole "political fabric. Perhaps the saying of the stout old Scotswoman may be in a way applicable to China, ''that there was ow'rc time."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.