The advent of the present British Minister, Sir Ronald Mac-Leay, was heralded by the announcement that His Majesty's Government intended, subject to certain conditions, not to make any further claim upon the Chinese for the British share of the Boxer indemnity. These conditions related to the manner in which the money, instead of going to Great Britain, should ye expended. So far as the speaker had been able to gather before he came to China, and se far as he had been able to sound opinion in this country itself, the disposition seemed to be to arrange for the proceeds of the Indemnity to be expended, in conjunction and especially in consultation with the Chinese themselves, upon education in, China rather than upon education of the Chinese abroad. That, of course, was simply a broad generalization, and important details would have to be worked out. It could only be hoped that the expenditure of the Indemnity in the manner contemplated would productive of rea] and lasting good for the Chinese, and through them also for the community represented by members of the Association, who made their lives and their careers in this country, (Applause.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.