'Tas imbroglio in Annam has had at least one good result in France. It has led the French journals to pay some attention to the politics of China generally, and we now notice in the Diz. neuviime Siécle an article which, short as' it is, embodies some very spirited views and shows considerable acquaint. ance with the state of affairs for some time since in Peking. The writer represents China as surrounded with difficulties, principally brought upon herself by a policy of fanfaronnade. The line she has pursued, snys the Sitcle, for some yenrs past, descry pecial notice, After having made a pitiable failure in Formosa, after having retired before the Russians, she attacks one Power after another as if she were trying to Gud the weakest in order to make upon it a trial of ber growing military organisation, The first nttempt was made upon Corea, where she met, on the part of Japan and the United States, with an opposition which forced her to reflect; then came the tarn of Tonquin; and now the trouble. at Swatow and the re-opening of the Macao controversy are combining to embarrass her sorely. The writer is evidently well acquainted with the sult offered to Mr. Shishido at Poking, and gives a slight but trae sketch of the negotiations he conducted, attaching considerable importance to the fact of Mr. Angell, the Minister for the United States, declaring in favour of his Japanese colleague. The Frouch apor, having gone into the details of the Liuchiu controversy, has come to the same conclusion as ourselves. The only slip we can find is where it is stated that "the Chinese journals" made fun of Mr. Shishido's departure. It was the Ministers of the Tsung-li Yamen who did so, and this is a far more serious matter. The article concludes with a reference to the troubles which threaten China from the Russian side, "Everybody will finish by getting tired [of these intrigues], and will follow the example of Germany, who, without crying 'Beware' has Inuded her crows and done justice to herself at Swatow; or of Russia, who is vow preparing in Turkestan for a fresh campaign. On the 23rd December, General Tcherunieff, at a review of his troops at Tashkend, raised their enthusiasm by predicting the fall, before rheic arms, of the most powerful fortresses in Asia, This was a warning to the Chinese respecting the new citadel that they are building near Suydun. It is to be hoped that we shall not be the only ones to draw back before the fanfaronnades of the Court of Peking, and that the Tonquin controversy will be speedily set at rest."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.