On January 20 of this year, there was published in the correspondence columns of this journal a letter from MR. P. W.-Massry, m Which he embodied an appeál written" by, Mr. Leslie Burgin, Minister of Supply, inviting possessers of good binoculars to part with them for the national good. Mr. Massey. was, and is prepared to receive binoculars, pack them and forward them to Britain. Mr. Burgin yas not asking those to whom he appealed to give their glasses, but stated that the Government would Pay a reasonable price for them, and Mr. Massey on his part in Shanghsi offered to pass on to owners whatever remittances were received from the Government. It has to be emphasized that while the gif of binoculars would be most welcome, the Government wishes to purchase as many feld glasses as Possible to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding British Army. The need is an urgent One, and it is to be regretted that up to the present the response to the appeal in Shanghai has been most disappointing. There must be. amongst the many Britons living in China who read that appeal, many who are in possession of at least one pair of good binoculars. The sporting nature of the community justifies such a belief, and it is thought that the great necessity for them to place those instruments at the disposal of the Government has only again to be emphasized to obtaín a better response than has been received up to the present. The type of glasses wanted is briefly described by Mr. Burgin in his letter to "The Times":
A prism binocular of the type made by Ross and Zeiss having a Magnification of 6-8 diameters in a leather case.
Of this type there must be many owned by Britons in China. They are bedly needed for the. growing armies. The British Government is prepared to pay a reasonable price for them and it will be a sad reproach to Britons if they hold back from giving this greatly needed assistance to the Government in such an hour ar this. The position cannot be more plainly stated than that ownership of this type of glass by Britons in Chind, merely for the purpose of watching sporting events, when they are, wanted by men fighting the battles of the Allie: cannot possibly be excused. This is not an appeal for gifts, but an exhortation to a very obvious duty, and it is to be hoped that the poorness of the response to this request shown ap to the present will very shortly be remedied, and that binoculars will be coming forward in much greater quantities.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.