The warmest congratulations will to the three British officers, rs, A. D, Blue, Clifford John fon and W. E Hargrave, on ther Telease from a long captivity. The tribute is all the more enthusiastic eeause this journal has. the best wihority for asserting that the bearing of "these ofers through their trying. ordeal has. been mark. wd by considerable fortitude. Not a note of complaint, querulousness: or lack of wnfidene in their friends outside came from them Guringe the whole Of the weary six neath. "This out as quickly as you can" was the utmost which they permitted themselves to say. The brief ae: count of their condition on resters tion to their friends gives a clea: indication of some of their sufferings Curing the heat of the Manchurian summer, Their relatives are now relieved of a terrible strain of anxiety in which they have had the constant. sympathy of friends here. That relief can be reinforced by well-founded pride in the manner of the captives' maintenance of the traditions of the Mercantile Marine. Satisfaction at_ this successful outcome lo the efforts made for their release is _enhancedby the Knowledge that no cbstace has inadvertently' or wilfully thrown in the vay by any ill-considered gestures from the Press, The calculated reticence observed cly all parties deserves appropria record for future guidance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.