Chinese Objections Tu ils comment on the Anglo-Japanese arvangoment regarding the Chinese Maritime Customs, in this issue of this journal anticipated that the Chinese Government would also objections, They were naturally to. be expected, but if they are no, more serious than those reported from London, then it is reasonable to expect that the Chinese Government will do nothing to nullify what has been ranged. The word "agreement" has in. the editorial comment of this journal been carefully avoided. "There is no such thing. As a result (of Fepresentations which have been made to. the Japanese Government has informed the h Government of what it intends to do with regard to the provision of quotas, from the ports under its control. for the service of the foreign loans secured upon the Customs Fevenue. "That information has proved accept able to Britain, and, it is understood, certain other Powers are not opposed to what Japan has promised 0 do. It Is a piece of common sense diplomacy, and as such something de-Nghttully refreshing in times when 30 little of that quality has been displayed. It follows that there is in fact no diplomatic recognition the Japanese control of the Customs revenues.
the eight ports of north China referred. to. 'There ig recognition of the fact that revenues out of which funds for the' served of China's foreign loans are, so far as those ports are con cerned, rightly or wrongly in Japanese hands, and the British Government had every right view of Japanese assurances concern neutral foreign interests, to demand to know what was being done for their protection. The Japanese have replied in terms already known This answers also the contention that no provi sions have been made for the servicing of Chinese domestic loans. That was a matter Into which the British Government. could not enter, and, if it had, would have received only one reply. In the circumstances it is regrettable that the description of the exchange of notes fas an agreement has been allowed to stand There never was any question of agreeing. In the matter, but merely. an acceptance of what Japan is prepared to do. Nevertheless it should bbe emphasized that any step by China calculated to villate what has already been done will be fraught with considerable" danger. Tt is. Imperative that the Customs service built up during the greater part of a century should be preserved for the future. "Should it' be now Aestroyed it might take decades to reconstruct, while Chinese opposition to the present ar= rangement is by no means likely to improve the Government's credit in places where It moat desires A Bouquet Attention is drawn to a letter in the corres pondence columns of today's Isso, signed by 8 Discusren EnciisuwoMax, relating an Incident Which she witnessed on Garden" Bridge, on the evening of May 3, from the window of her apartment in Broadway Mansions. It is not necessary here to recount the story, but It may be pointed out that there are two very gratifying features about it, One was the action of the correspondent herself in getting. into telephonic conversation with Admiral Honda. She is be complimented upon xoing straight to authority" in an endeavour to have a. wrong righted, and hrs her reward inthe Taet that' she met with" xo" Immediate a response. The action of Admiral Honda him: self in the matter, as reported by the correspondent, ly particularly pleasing. Tt appears! That No' personally have his attention to the: matter, and apparently reproved the sentry for his behaviour. "It may on the face of it seem to be a very small matter but it tends to eon-firm the impression, which this journal has] formed for quite some while, that the various incidents which occur from time to time are ax completely distasteful to the various Japanese commands as they are to the people who happen to be eyewitnesses of them. All along. Mhag been contended that the very courteous famineers in control of the Japanese military and naval forees do not approve of the brutality Which some of their men—and it ly only some of them—display towards sunolTendings Chinese, Admiral Monel in this matter will be heartily welcomed by those who, even if they do happen to be highly tical of some things. have nevertheless a veyard for the traditional courtliness of the Japanese.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.