Uninformed criticism has unfairly called in question the position of the German military advisers who for some years have been engaged by the Chinese Government. It is natural that at a time like this uncomprehending resentment should lead judgment astray, but it seems particularly unfortunate that the German milit mission should be so maligned. Actually, of course. the responsible Chinese authorities would indignantly repudiate such suggestions for they know, as no-one else so well knows, the quality of the advice which they have been given and the genuine enthusiasm which the military experts from Germany have thrown into the task All who have come -into contact with these German officers are rightly convinced of their integrity and, indeed, their exercise of perfect discretion in 'a situation which, even before the present crisis, would have had its delicacies had they been less single-minded in the performance of their duty to the Chinese Government. Normally any tribute of this kind might be almost regarded as an impertinence, but in view of the hospitality given in some quarters to the rumours referred to, perl: aps this record of the opinion of responsible observers may have a salutary influence and help in securing justice for distinguished officers who deservedly enjoy confidence and esteem.
10th August—Among other creatures created to afflict the just we have in Weihaiwei a kind of wasp with a body like an ordinary hornet which has just done six months on a Hay diet: it can insert its skinny body through the smallest cracks and has been known to build its circular nest of paper-like cells inside the box of an electric light switch: another nest was built beneath a tile forming part of a home-made surface drain—and when the gardener went to effect repairs he was severely stung on face and head: so these insects are not popular members of our household. We also have a brand of horse fly, grey to dull buff in colour, which gets tired of browsing on ponies and follows me into the hills where it inserts its proboscis into the back of my calves—a most painful procedure: I met one of these when walking to-day. it sat on a rock in front of me and seemed to survey me as if choosing the juiciest portion to bite. I was just preparing to deliver a fatal blow, when there was sound like the zooming of an aeroplane passing over my shoulder... as with incredible swiftness one of those skinny hornet~wasps crashed on to the horse-fly and grasped it. A battle royal ensued beneath my eyes as the two rolled over in their death-struggle, like two performers in an all-in wrestling, match: finally the wasp got in a fatal sting, and just ae I was hoping that it, also, might have received a fatal wound (for it lay quite still for some moments) it rose in the air with its prey and flew off across the valley, I was left wondering whether the juices of a horse-fly would count as a carbohydrate or a protein... for I feel sure this unusual food must have something to do with a slimming diet!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.