The Eastern Times" reports that- a strong protest has been lodged by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce with the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, for transmission to the Consular Body and the (Shanghai Municipal Council, in connexion with searches made at two Chinese pawnshops, belonging to a member of the Chamber, and the seizure of a number of diamonds and' three diamond rings, The Chamber, in its letter to the Foreign Commissioner, states that the member in question, Mr. Cheng Kan-chih, has been living in the International Settlement for mary years and now resides at 134 Pakhoi Road. He has opened pawnshops in Yunnan and Swatow Roads, and obtained licences for the carrying on of the business of these establish-aments from the Municipal Council.
On April 11 last, at 1.30 p.m., Mr. H. D. Rodger, the American lawyer, and several foreign and Chinese detectives, armed with search warrants, are alleged to have entered complainant's shop in Swatow Road in search of diamonds. They pulled things about and threw everything into disorder, he states, and then entered the jewel room whence they removed 12 packages of diamonds, the value of which were very great. complainant's books showing that he paid $13,000 in pawn money for them when they were deposited with him. Upon being asked to explain their action, the searchers stated that a Belgian firm, R. & L. Goldmuntz, had been cheated of numerous diamonds and these were believed to be a part. Then,. states the Chamber, they took them away.
On September 2, the search party is alleged to have gone to complainant's pawnshop in Yunnan Road and therefrom removed five packages of diamonds valued at_ $25,000.
Shortly afterwards, on the same day, the Chamber continues, the search party entered a shop situated next door to the Yunnan Road pawnshop and began to search, When their attention was drawn to the fact that the place was not a pawnshop and was not "wart of the place next door, they stated that they were in search of opium and so were permitted to continue their search. When they found none, they forced open two iron boxes and removed three diamond rings valued at $5,300.
All of these searches, states the Chamber, were conducted by order of Mr. Rodger personally, and it was he who gave instructions, hence he should be held entirely to blame. Mr. Cheng is a respectable business man and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.