Frost two independent sources, we hear a report of ove of the most curious propositions ever made by one power to another. China, we are told, has offered to Prussia' to enter into an alliance with her against France, offend sive and defensive. The thing seems hardly suited for grave consideration it is as if the fea were to offer the lio his friendship and assistance. Yet, if report be true, the Chinese have become so puffed up, by the adulation peared out over the Burlingame Mission, actually to instruct their present reproseniatives in Europe to make the proposal. On the principle of seeing em selves as others sev them, the gotinti chinese Government had perhaps bee: ed, by tie ready acceptance of Mr, Surlingame's statements by the Powers 1 which he was accredited, to fancy themselves of an importance in the fairs of the world they hitherto wot of, The way in which their ammssador was flattered, feted and assed on; the ready acceptance of platitudes and agreement to his propositions, was no doubt too much for nation which had hitherto heard from the outside world little except the of its cannon, and which judged he great world of civilization from he small mercantile communities doted along its coast. They had now glimpse of the real world, and, ike a child taken for the first time great show, in their wonder at di they saw round them, had for the ime forgotten their own insignificance.
The device of the allinuce with Prus-in was, however, worthy of the statesnen who had planned the Tient: massacre; the cold-blooded murder he unarmed men and wom twas to turn back for ever, from hina, the tide of French inflaence if stronger action were requ Jhina was to thre her mite to six the arms of Prassi opponent. It wax the -y of Mes.
ington keeping back the "Atlansic her broom, with the addition of siding, var by the loan of one the twigs. How China was to fulfil her portion of the engagement has not, however, been made known to us; when ther she gravely proposed, ax her share ofthe programme, to murder the restaining French priests in China; or ether she intended to xend the "Tangehi," or No. 3 gun-boit, to block-ide the French iron-clad fleet in the Atlantic. Yo kill without trouble -as any men ax might any morning be shot in an affair of outposts would, in the nicely biluneed position of the parties, no doubt turn the scale of victory; while the formidable gnnneats spoken of above, could not seriously to cripple the navy of France. It seems difficult to suppose that-such 1 preposterous idea coalil have entered ito the head of even a Chinese stntesjand we shall continue to doubt the trath of the report, until it to us ina more definite shape. Writing on the news as it stands, we can only suppose that, as cajolery was found to succeed once, the Peking cabinet dreamed it might a second time be saccessfal. Mr. Brown was, however, 80 far inferior to his predecessor as pos sibly not to sec the absurdity of the situation. To offer an offensive and defensive alliance, where all the offence and defence was to be on the other side, and the defence was to be that of action which even enemies would unite A sat to punish, was a task which required the tact and prudence of a much higher diplomacy. Mr. Brown seems to have made of it something very much resembling an Irish bull.
Seriously speaking, however, of a very absurd matter, Mr. MeLeavy Brown's position in this affair is extremely questionable. What sort of a ice is it which permits the loan ut 1 power, without any check on their actions? If the ne-between China and Piassia, could have been possibly serious, would it not seem that Great Britain had compromised herself, by allowing an me dividual on her diplomatic staff to make separate proposals between two powers with both of whom she professed to be on friendly relations Change the case, and place Austria in -the position of China, the gravity of the charge would be at one admitted. Is Mr. Brown to be permitted any longer to parsee this erratic course, merely because it the present Government. to ignore the interests of its subjects in the far East?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.