Sir Frederick Maze was entertained at lunch by the Elder Brethren of Trinity House atthe beginning of this week, and tells me that he had a most interesting time. The Bre-throu asked a great many questions about the Marine Department of the Customs and the lighthouses, and were most complimentary about It.
The Inability of the Government to recognize Sir Frederick Maze's posi tion as Counsellor to the Chinese Delegation {0 the extent of giving him a seat in the Abbey was a cause of much distress to the Foreign 'OMmes, as to everyone. It may be well The new reception rooms onthe: ground floor, where the staff used to bbe, are papered respectively with gold and silvery grey, and some superb old Chinese embroideries, which had been buried somewhere else in the Embassy are hung here with beautiful effect.
One feature will attract the notice of every visitor are the lovely silk curtains from Soochow in the state dining and" drawing rooms, plum~ coloured in one, marine blue In the ther, with elreular panels holding design of dragons woven on to 3 plain ground, The furniture has been upholstered with the same silks and this led to a curious discovery. On the Empire chairs and sofas, which are most of the furniture, the Chinese silk looks lovely. But ' there are one or two modern pieces with which It does not go at all. These should certainly be But anyway the renovations have! given China a truly worthy Embassy find have shown what a beautiful and splendid mansion. this 200-year old house
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.