Peiping Feb. 16.
The visit of His Majestys Ambassador to North China was very much appreciated by the British communities in Tientsin and Peiping. It was only regretted that he was unable io make a longer stay in these parts. There had been a growing feeling that the interest and attention of His Majestys government was so fully taker up with the problems of Shanghai that there was a tendency to overlook British interests in North China.
No doubt these latter do not compare in actual value and importance with those of Shanghai, but they are nevertheless of a certain general interest, as being so to say the front line of defence, on which the frst brunt of the attack will fall.) Conditions in the North are therefore at least worth studying, if only from this point of view.
The interest taken by the Ambassador in the position and doings of the British communities and the encouragement derived from the talks of leading members of both communities with him has undoubtedly done much to further strengthen their morale. Not that this needed so very much strengthening. Indeed, the Ambassador himself commented on How high he had found the morale and. courage of the business community in Tientsin under its present adverse circumstances.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.