On Friday, September 18th, Mr. Austen Chamberlain, at a luncheon
of the China Association, spoke about the situation in China. The effect of his words upon us was a little chilling. He dwelt more upon the difficultiei of helping China than upon the earnest intention of the British Government to do something in spite of the diffi- culties. He did, indeed (as one can see by reading between the lines), say how much Great Britain wanted to come to the aid of China and to consider sympathetically any new rights she asked for, but he insisted unduly upon the preliminary necessity of China becoming united and orderly. Such a speech might be taken to mean that any concessions to China were postponed to the Greek Kalends. Fortunately Mr. Chamberlain spoke the mind of the Government to much better effect in his instructions to the delegates to the Tariff Conference. These instruc- tions were published in the papers of Monday. There Mr. Chamberlain wrote warmly of the British desire to help China in producing that orderliness which is necessary for the safety of foreigners.
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