Tue Pall Mall Gazette contains an article with the above heading, which will be read generally in China; but, while reading it; we are obliged ever and anon to check its statements and to decline to accept its deductions. Still, it is refreshing to find that sufi. cient interest is taken in Chinese affairs by our countrymen at Home, to justify journalists in assigning more space than they were wont to do some years ago to the claims of far Cathay.
The writer commences by commenting on the fact that the arrival of the Mission of the Panthays in London has not excited so much attention as might have been expected. The envoys of the King of Burmah have made some impression, but there are perhaps not one thousand individuals, out of-the four millions that form the population of the Great City, who know where the.. Pan-this come from—and a still smaller number will be found to agree with the views urged by the author of the article in the Pull Mall Gazette.
'We concede that the man' who has carved for himself a Mussulman Erhpire out of the dominions of the Sori of Heaven" isan important - historical figure. But he had his material ready to hand. The Mussulman' population in the' province of Yunnin had been growing for years, in numbers and in influence. \'he Emperors probably began by holding them cheap, allowing them to exercise their peculiar religion without let or hindrance, but the neglected tribe increased, and at last became strong enough to revolt. The action of' the Chinese Government in the matter was characteristic. At first they let things alone, and practically ignored the existence of any serious difference in race or in belief. But time went on, and the despised Mahommedans multiplied ex: ceedingly. The Emperor then, woke up to the danger, and, ina high-handed, unjust and cruel manner, endeavoured to exterminate the Panthays. By this time, however, they had: grown far too strong for the Imperial bands to" rush them. 'They had long years of oppress sion to revenge. They had bonds of union which the Chinese' themselves were strangers to. The usual.policy was adopted. The mandarins reported sham victories, and backed them up with sham miracles, bat "the unlucky facts could not be got over. The mandarins who came for tribute endured the fate of Adorim. The military authorities were gent '"bootless home and weather-beaten back." At first the Panthays were mere mobs, but they were very soon disciplined and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.