Foreign News: Esteemed Favour

Caution is a sterling British virtue. To British caution may be due the fact that not one British bank failed last year, against the 2,298 that collapsed in the U. S. Last week Charles Gideon Murray. Viscount Elibank. angrily told the London Press of an occasion when British caution was not so successful. As Chairman of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire, Lord Elibank journeyed to the Ottawa conference to see what immediate orders he could pick up for British firms.

Pickings were slim, but he did get a large order for wrapping paper and proudly cabled it to London. The wrapping paper manufacturers puzzled over the cable, then wrote and mailed a cautious British letter. The esteemed favour of the 15th inst. was received, but might they enquire how the wrapping paper was to be wrapped? They had the honour to remain. Sirs, y’r obedient & humble serv’ts. By the time this letter reached Canada, the customers, who had received no cabled reply to their order, were already wrapping parcels with U. S. wrapping paper, ordered by telephone, promptly shipped and delivered.