London, Jan, 14.
A telegram from Me. O'Malley from Hankow was received this! evening recording events on January 8 and 4 and reviewing the existing situation from a material point of view. He states that about 179) British civilians are still in the Asiatic Petroleum Company's building under discipline, with ships in the harbour " hundred yards away.
British businees is at a stand and other foreign business is only being partially conducted.
The "Manchester Guardian" in an} editorial says that,, although it is now possible to hope for a practical working arrangement with the Cantonese which will enable business ta be resumed at Hankow and at the same time satisfy the susceptibilities of Cantonese Nationalism, it is. impossible to admire the' methods whereby the Cantonese achieved this end, "To use the mob as an instrument of diplomacy was neither right nor prudent. The coolness and cipline of the British troops saved the situation at Hankow but similar methods at Shanghai would almost certainly have very different results, This should counsel Mr. Eugene Chen to prudence. But although the circumstances at Shanghai may peculiar there is no reason why the British Government should not be guided by the same principles as it has been in relation to Hankow and other parts of China, namely. avoiding bloodshed and coming practical working arrangement with whatever Chinese authorities be in effective local control, Hitherto these principles have worked ad._
It is noteworthy that underwriters in London, in some instances, are inclined to' quote rather lower rats than hitherto against risks of loss or damage by war or civil commotion in China, A rate of three Per cent. for one month has been quoted in some quarters on certain property in Hankow and two per Jeent. for one month on other proerty, whereas previously there was a general rate of five per cent. Furthermore, a rate of 20/- per feet, for three months was quoted fou canned goods in the foreiga concessions in Shanghai recently jand us much as five per cent. was quoted on merchandise—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.