The tide of conquest and power in early times ever set westwards. Ie swept over kingdoms avd peoples either inferior in race or rendered effeminate by Juxury and inet Each successive wave bore on its crest renewed life and either engulfed the people it passed over, or, mingling with them, infused increased vitality into their ism. Now things are changed and lo rulls backwards. The West invades and subdues the East. The effete and effeminate civilisation ut the Orient gues down before the healthy and masculine ilisation of the Occident, The stagnant yields to the progress extonde over all Hindustan We hold the Our troops occupy Egypt. Our swa:
Amir of Afghanistan under our thumb. Beluchistan recognises our power. Burma is undergoing the process of subjection and annexation. France claims sovereignty over Annam and Tongking. Cochin China is a dependency of the Republic, The Russian eagle has spread its wi and its talons clutch Bukhara, Khiva, and Turkestan, Of the continent of Asia then we may say that China alone retains her autonomy. But China is feeble in her mas-sivaness, and her present position is far fron, secure, France threatens her on the south; while on the North and West, Russin towers monster-like and prepares to with all her available force. England ils it to be her interest to strengthen not to weaken China: yet n vacillating Prlicy isnot exteulted tv produce this end, Moderation shown way be excessive and misconstrued, Lenieuey on the part of Minister may be mistaken for lack of energy; the desire not to hamper or interfere for weakness. Firm statesmanship b-gets confidence, and has seldom involved a State war, China has been admitted into the comity of nations. We lave extended to her the rigitt hand of fellowship. Would it not have been more to our interest to have adopted " sterner policy toward her? Would it not have been better for China? It is not judicious to extend the same privileges alike to our inferiors and to our equals in Yet China has enjoyed our isplaced though it has not infrequently been, for upwards of " quarter of a century. Her Government has at mies evinced a desire to adopt western improvements, and a certain amount of intimacy be her statesmen and our representatives has grown up, From this friendship the best results have been anticipated. How frequently and foudly has the opinion been cherished that a new era of enlightenment and reform was about to be inaugurated. The least confident have at times found cause for hupa. China's well-wishers and those most conversant with her resources and power ut renovation have again felt sanguine in a high degree. But hope sprang up only to be blighted, and leaden deepondianoy now reigns in ite stead cossly have all been mistaken and di appointed! Our confidence has been abused, id our feelings naturally revolt against ch treatment. China has made but a feint the desired direction, calculated to cast dust in the eyes of on-lookers. Innovation in her internal economy is as distasteful to her as ever. Corruption pervades every rank of officialdom, and _maladministration is prevalent as of yore. Repeated have been the warnings given, but she hearkens not to the voice of her counsellor. Progress is the law of nature which if a nation will not accept che must perish, No doubt in suc a vast empire there are influences at work which we see not and know not of, Of the current of feeling pervading the masses we can form uy adequate opinion.
The recent outbreak is of an_ extraordin ary kind. Under the cloak of the expulthe foreigner it is said to mask its ject-—the subversion of the Imperial Power. That the Chinese, like every other nation, have a right to' choose their own rulers and their own form of govern ment, no one will deny, But it is with the apparent object of the outbrenk—with that which immediately affects the lives and property of foreigners in China that we are most closely concerned A State is responsible for such acts of its subjects as it can reasonably be expected ty prevent; and thongs it is recognised principle in polities that no nation has" right to interfere in the domestic affairs of another independent State, yet. when the ruling authority fails to give satisfaction redress for injuries inflicted by its subjects. on the subjects of a friendly State, and takes inadequate steps to prevent a rect rence of similar acts of violence agai person and property, there remains me alternative but that' in the interest of justice punishment should be exacted by' the aggrieved State. We must demonstrate tothe people that if their own government is either unwilling or tuo weak to chastise the offenders, they will not on that account escape, and that we at least are both willing and able to punish, There is too much temporising. Actiun prompt and severe is: urgently required. The greater the interval between the offence and its punish. ment, the smaller the effect on the minds: of the people.
We foreigners in China are members ightened and powerful States. We ean-nue to endure these repeated insults. Forbearance hus its Moral obligation demands our pro-justice demands the punishment of the offenders. In a word, as a nation China has her obligations. If she wantonly neglects them, she must suffer the: penalty. If she is unable to fulfil them,. then she can have no claim to be free: State. Her autonomy must cease and her: existence as a nation will become an event of the past.
Our interests are too great to admit of delay, Interference will bring with it subjection and China will be partitioned. While yet there is time let her take warning. What she ought to do, she must do quickly, for the day of reckoning draws nigh. - Nemesis dire approaches, Ibis nut open—renov: dismemberment. Let possible to evade her. But two courses lie
her choose which she will, but. she must choose speedily. Delay and indecision have ever proved fatal,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.