To, the Editor of the 'WNonTH-CHINA Dairy News."
Sin,—As one of the 1,100 members of the St. George's Society I wish to disassociate myself entirely from the futile telegram despatched to Peking by the Committee of my national society. In the first place dor not. "fully "appreciate. the efforts of ouy Minister to obtain re lief or information of "Thorburn," far from it—in my opinion it pathetic' that with the weight of the British Empire and Nation behind him our Minister could do 90 Hittle. "In "the second place his efforts have. resulted in a, most Hlalant and impudent slap in' the face of the British Nation in the mendacious report of the case hand fed tol them by the Chinese Govern-iment) a report which not only shews contempt for our intelligence, but indifference as to how we regard Finally would point out that the disassociate myself from the solution passed by the Committee yesterday congratulating the British Minister on the work he has done in connection with the Thorburn Case, and I am convinced that the Committee did not represent the opinions of the 1100 members of that Society. What we Britishers in China must do to endeavour to bring" Diplomats to a proper sense of their ities and to get them to their duties as servants; nation, rather than congratulate them upon the feeble showing they have cert ly put up in this case, by lowing themselves to be bluffed by Chinese more astute than they.
I feel that the foolish Resolution passed bythe St. George's Society simply tends to undo good work done by the Andrews' Society, the R-A.F., and Nazer's admirable petition. Just why we should congratulate" the Minister for bungling this ter lo Thorburn Case whilst at the same time carrying on negotiations with the Chinese for the abolition of our Extraterritorial Rights, and_then is somewhat difficult to understand. I feel sure that the bulk of the ordinary members of the St. George's Society prefer to endorse Mr. Gee's letter.
T am of the opi jon that had the Society called a general meeting of its members, as should have been done, avery different resolution' would have "been passed at that meeting; and had a strongly worded message been sent to the parent St. George's Society at Home, more good might have accrued than'ean accrue
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.