It is reported that a number of Hanlin are preparing to memorialise in favour of the Club, and with good hope that their efforts will be successful. But with Wong among the jellyfish th-t constitute the Grand Counci!, and the Office of Obstruction" as the "Foreign Ofice" has well been called, ruled by him, it is perhaps too much t" expect the speedy reorganisation of a society having for its object Progress and Reform, in however mild a form, Negotiations on THE COMMERCIAL TREATY WITH JAPAY, interrupted some little time ago, were to be resumed to-day. These are chiefly in the hands of Li Hung-chang. It isa matter of speculation with many what will be done with him when this task is accomplished. The Empress-Dowager appears to be asserting herself again. It was she who, in the face of the opposition of the council, sent Liu Kun-yi back to Nankin, She is.still the friend of the ex-Viceroy Li and will very likely find a place for him She alone appears to realise that notwith-stoning his faults, great as they may be, the most capable and the most reliable. man available. Tt is about nine months since the war closed, and instead of being aroused by "the agony and humiliation she suffered at the lands of her despised enemy," China has simply sunk back into her old corrupt indifference, like the "sow turned again to her wallowing in the mire," and the only man who can be found capable of meeting to any degree th" demands of the time, and sealing with the conqueror in p-a-eand treaty negotiations, is the very man who most of all was denounced for his preparations for, and conduct of the war. Poor, helpless China Nothing more has' been heard here regarding THE RAIL ROAD, since the last writing, and the same uncertainty and fear prevail. Bu' preparations for the beginning of work along the Ime on the opening of Spring appear to be going forward so that it is difficult to believe that construction is to be delayed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.