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 Nanking, January 21st/1912.

My Dear Dr. and Mrs. Cantlie,

It will be your pleasure to hear from me that I have assumed the Presidency of the Provisional Republican Government in China, which I accepted with disinterested fervour in order to render myself an instrumentality to rescue China with its four hundred million population from environment of impending perils and dishonour. I ought to have written you such earlier, but something or always prevented me from doing so, having been kept exceedingly busy since I arrived here and especially so since I occupied my present post, as you may well imagine and fairly forgive. It makes me feel more grateful to you when from the present position I look back on my past of hardships and strenuous toil, and think of your kindnesses shown me all the while that I can never nor will forget. I can say so far that the state of things here in Nanking is improving rapidly with a well founded prospect of future promise. I may not write you as often as I wish, but you may learn from the news-papers what I am doing from time to time. Kindly convey my best compliments to all my friends in London whom you know and happen to meet, and oblige.

With best wishes and kindest regards, I remain

Yours very sincerely,