The China Association entertained at dinner last night, at the Café Royal Regent Street, a large number of merchants, bankers, and others interested in British trade with China “to meet HIH Duke Tsai-Tse and their excellencies Shang Chi Heng and Li Sheng To,” the Chinese commissioners now on a visit to this country.
Mr. R. S. Gundry C.B. (president of the association) occupy the chair; and among those present were the Chinese Minister Mr. Tso Ping Lung, Mr. Chu Yen, Captain Cheng En Tao, Mr. Chou Shao-Po, Lord Fitzmaurice (Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs), Admiral Sir R. Tracey, Sir Eric Barrington, Lieutenant-General Sir J. Bevan Edwards, Sir Patrick Manson, Mr. W. G. Ellison-Macartney, Sir W. Robinson, Mr. Joseph Walton, M.P., Mr. C. P. Lucas, Mr. W. Adamson, Sir H. S. Wilkinson, Sir Thomas Jackson, Sir Alfred Dent, Mr. G. Cawston, and Mr. J. Welch (hon. sec.). The health of “The King-Emperor” and of “The Emperor of China” having been honoured.
The Chairman proposed the health of Duke Tsai-Tse and his colleagues, and said that the China Association, representing British interests and British residents in China, welcomed their distinguished guests, who were at present visiting Europe for the purpose of studying our forms of government and working of our public departments. He regretted that their stay in our midst was to be so short, he felt sure that they would return to their country with a clearer concept of Western civilization, which was just now exciting so much interest in China.