Correspondence with Edward Manico Gull (1883-1961), public servant and writer, relating to Gull's employment as an occasional correspondent for the Manchester Guardian in Shanghai, with discussion of potential length, form and content for articles, and a request for the provision of photographs. There is discussion of subjects for articles including the retirement of Sir Robert Hart, official in the Chinese service, the movement towards constitutionalism in China, the anti-opium crusade, the Chinese army, potential outcomes of the death of [The Dowager Empress of China, Tzu-hsi,], Japanese trade, more light-hearted articles for the paper's back page, the Manchurian railway, the dispute between Portugal and China over [the Portuguese territory of] Macao, accompanied by internal memoranda discussing the subject. There is also discussion of articles by Gull for the Manchester Guardian on a visit to Manchuria, trade in Shanghai, the Nanking exhibition (1910), the political and financial situation in Peking, and on republicanism in the Far East. There is reference to articles on political and commerical subjects by Gull from a visit to Mongolia, with discussion of the trip and with related internal memoranda.
There are repeated requests by Gull for employment by the Manchester Guardian as a permanent correspondent in Shanghai, which are declined, and accompanied by internal memoranda relating to a meeting between Crozier and Gull to discuss the subject of employment, and to payment for Gull's articles. There are also requests by Gull to be considered for a trial of employment in England, and discussion of attaining work in journalism.
There are also requests by Gull for references from Scott for positions at The Times, the Peking and Tientsin Times, the Reuters Agency, The North China Daily News and the Bombay Chronicle, which are provided. Gull is offered a position at The North China Daily News, and there is discussion of his continuing to provide occasional articles for the Manchester Guardian, with a memorandum of recommended subjects for articles on general conditions in China.
There is correspondence relating to the provision of an article on the use of the Boxer Indemnity to promote education in China from the journal of the British Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai, in hopes that Scott will agree with its views [extract of article enclosed]. Also included is discussion of information received by [Arthur?] Ransome, journalist and writer, relating to the [unknown] seizure of strategic points in China, with discussion of the reliability of the information's source, and Gull's suspicion that the report may be anti-British propaganda. There is a letter from Gull to continue to offer his services as a correspondent on China following his return to London to act as secretary of the China Association.
There is a letter of recommendation for Gull from R.C. Reid, [nephew of Robert Reid, Earl Loreburn, lord chancellor.]
GND/A/G58/1 is an internal employment history index card for Gull, 1908.