Tus. dénoiement of the Franco-Chinese imbroglio seems to have been virtually reached more swiftly than the most sanguine could huve anticipated a month ago. The interval of silence which supervened on the capture of Baoni and the newspaper demands for indemnity to which. it gave rise, were becoming irksome, The scurrying of small detachments of Chinese troops hither and thither, and the incoherent action of the officials, resembled those flutlerings in the dove-cot when the eagle is poised high in the air, or the consternation of poultry yard on the eve of a thunderstorm. Whatever the issue may be it-is a positive relief to have at Inst got within sight of something decisive. In corroboration of the views of a well-informed Correspondent at Tientsin whose letters we print upon another, page, we have now.rooaived-dafinito. aud_antisfaotory news of the first stage in the settle. mont of the Yongnin question having beau passed, and we may venture ive as our own opinion that the ary stage will be conclusive. Ce west que lo premier pas qui cotte, But there are special reasons in the present case for preliminaries being conclusive, tensons arising. out of the circumstances of the situation, of the persounlity of the negotiators, On the part of the French ther viously a very strong desire to get the business disposed of, for what ulterior WUseUr te rue-owe-Purr pore ie bhienel todisenss, Could the Chinese question have been isolated from the general policy of France, there would have been no imperative cause for haste on her part. China was always ready to be attacked, and from the military point of view there was not a great deal to be lost to France by applying to Chinn the Fabian tactics which the latter country most loves herself to employ. Tt was at any rate for the Chinese as the conquered Power to sue for terms, whereas it would appear that, if the first offer to treat did not come from France, it was at least a case of les beale esprit se rencontrent. France, then, being sincerely desirous of a prompt soltloment, lias interposed no obstacles to the realization of her desire, The personality of the negociauts is important, On the Chinese side there has been no subordinate orintermediary, bat the Viceroy himself, the highest authority in the Empire who could undertake the task, On the French side it might at first sight afford but slight security for the solidity of the negotiations that they were, put into the hands of a naval officer, and he not even of flag rank. But it must be remembered that Captain Fournier is an exceptional man, whose character stands very high, who enjoys a personal authority with his own Government of a very special kind. His knowledge of Chinese affairs is probbly superior to that of most re. sidents in China, and it was mainly in reliance upon the accurate information farnished by him to the French Gov-orient that the Tonquin enterprise has been carried through, Add to'this that Captain Fournier has been long on intimate terms with Li Hung-chang, and is apersonagrata with hiw, and it becomes obvious that no man more suited for carrying through tis delicateaud thorny negotiation could have been selected.
As this will be the first time that China has trated with any foreign Power in a prompt and practical manner, except on the field of battle and' under the guns of her conquerors, it will be interesting herenfler. to. trace the steps of the process and how it has-all come about, Cerlaiuly- everything has' been done by the Fretich to save the dignity of China, by keeping their armaments well out of sight while shew-so much of them as to let'the know that they" were merely out of sight and by no ments, out of hmitid. Aud™it-will-prebatl, mn that Wie success of the negotiations is a good deal due to the patiétice and savoir faire of Mr. Detring, who arrived, in China shortly after the capture of Bacninh, when the Chinese officials were in a state of paralysis, unable to fight and afraid to speak. Canton was undoubtedly tacitly menaced by the French, and it was through Mr. Detring that an undertaking was iven by Admiral Lespds that no has.
movement shonla_ba. mada.against any of the pons pending the.arran ment of the ries of a negotia-tows thie click i culty' in the way of which appears to have been the Marquis Tseng, for his recal was the signal for the Volia's at once proceeding to the north, Clu reste, it appears probable that the party of Prince Kung will soot reappear upon the scene, beaded by the dismissed Prince himself. Prince Ch'an has little or no capacity for government, while Princes Li and 1 Kuang, who at present head the Grand Connell and Peung-li Yamen respectively, are no more than clammies, Li Feng-puo i expected out again in a few months the Marquis Tang will probably not stay very much longer abroad; Hoi, the new ambassador, is meanwhile accredited to France, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Holland; and there is little or no probability of Ma Kien. chang proceeding to France as Vice Minister. It is farther believed ti now that pence is virtually assured, the proposed mission of Teo Taung-tang to Yunnan is at an end, and that ho will be allowed to retire for good, and nurse his infirmities, after arriving at Peki
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.