The idea was that the present which foreign adistration rests on a treaty between China and the Powers should be changed and that instead of this the basis should be a charter freely granted by the Chinese Government. It was suggested that this should be somewhat on the lines of the Hanseatic Cities of olden times. The change would not necessarily involve taking the administra tion out of foreign hands in the immediate future, The question whether or not in such a case the Chinese would ascert their authority to what for eigners in Shanghai would consider the City's detriment was not discussed but it was suggested that the extent of foreign participation in the government of the City of Shanghai
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.