Appanentir the first definite effects of the change in political parties in Eng-lund is likely to be felt in the Far East, and the Kuldja question, which under Lord Benconsfield's administration had been practically waived, is again to outer appearance becoming ominous. Feeling that the public opinion of Europe was against Russia in the settlement proposed in the Treaty of Livadia, and failing to excite in Europe any very lively protest against the act of China in refusing to ratify that agreement, there remained some prospect that Russian statesmen were ready to make concessions to the amour propre of China, and that some new scheme for an arrangement would be proposed. It at all events seems to have been the prevalent idea at Peking, with the members of the Chinese Government at least, that matters would not proceed to extremities, and the probabilities of a war between Russia and China have been more remote than they have been for some time. There were several reasons for this, partly that China and Russia both hoped to gain something by an understanding, and partly that both foresaw that a straggle would be costly out of proportion to the interests involved. Meanwhile, in the event of hostilities occurring, Russia has boon taking steps in the Pacific, the ulterior import of which seems doubtful. There seems little occasion for the employment in a war with China of the fast. steaming cruisers Intely sent out by the Russian Government, and their presence in Pacific waters lends a suspicion to surmises that there are further measures to be taken. The blockade of the treaty ports in case of a war between Russia and China is one of those contingencies which it behoves other powers to provide for. Even for such a blockade the cruisers would be superfluous unless it wore intended to apply them to other uses, With a firm Government in power in England, it is not likely that Russia would proceed to extremities along the coast of China; but with a Cabinet in power one section of whom are ardent partisans of Russia, while the remainder, however disposed to adopt a firm attitude themselves, are yet politically dependent on the peace-at-any-price party, it may readily be seen how admirable an engine may be made out of the possession by Russia of a fow fast cruisers. Altogether the outlook in China since the recent Home changes is not reassuring, and, as the effect will probably be tofore the Chinese Govern-mont into a private arrangement with Russia, it seems not unlikely that we shall soon hear of some step indicative of a now advance of that power in the Enst. We know that there are statesmen in England who look with complacency, if not with pleasure, on the advance of Russia, and who console themselves with the thought that after all it is but natural that a nation should advance. If there were any party in Russia corresponding to the English pro-Russian clique, the future might perhaps be left to take care of itself. Unfortunately the feeling is nob reciprocated, and the aim of every Rassian statesman is directly or indirectly to take advantage of any opening whereby damage may be done to British interests, The present
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.