Lord Herbert Scott's answer is appended: have to thank you for your letter of the 14th instant, I "can assure your Excellency that the Federation of British Industries realizes to the full the importance of the trade relations between China fand Great Britain, and desires in every way to continue the efforts Which it has made in the past to encourage friendly trading relations between the nationals of the two countries. "your Excellency is doubtless aware of some of the steps we have {aken in this direction, and in par cular of the scheme which we have been fortunate enough to be responsible for initiating, by which number of Chinese students have been provided with facilities for continuing their business studies in this country. We are already fully satisfied with the results of this Scheme, which shows every prospect fof extending its scope and being a Valuable means of contact between
"We hope to continue our business communities to maintain the most friendly trade Felations with China, and T can assure your Excellency that any~ thing which the Federation can do this direction will be extremely welcome to me as its president."
It is understood that the Chinese Mintster subsequently made a protest the Foreign Office against the despatch of the Mission, to which the Foreign Office is equally understood to have replied that it had nothing to-do with the Mission, that it was purely commercial undertaking, ang that political questions would not be affected in the slightest by its action.
Although nothing has been publish-don the subject, it is understood that the Chinese Minister was unable] to accept this view point,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.