The long-expected European war came at last. Out of the ranks of republican mediocrity arose a leader in France, and pretext for lo revanche was speedily found. Profiting by the experience of "70 the French acted on the offensive; and following up the declaration of war by a rapid plan of attack, succeeded so well that Austria had quickly to come to Germany's rescue. With greedy eyes on the Balkan States Russia joined in the fray, easily holding Austria in check. Italy could offer no really efficient help. England had to come in no lens volans. She could not stand by and see the Triple Alliance crushed by France and Russia. So the "great. con-flag ration," prophesied for years, actually came about.
Russia divided her enormous forces. Half her strength she employed against Austria, with half she menaced India, England's every available man was needed there, and every available ship was required to protect her commerce on the high seas, and engage the combined Russian and French Fleets in various parts of the world. Cruisers and_ gunboats had to be withdrawn from the duties of protecting, from the Chinese, foreign life and property in China, Up to this time English statesmen had hugged the hope that in the event of war with Russia, China would prove a valuable ally. This hope was based upon a profound misconception of the character of China's government, and the temper of the Chinese people. The Chinese government had not the smallest intention of lifting a Ginger to help England (unless indeed it had become plain that England was going to win), and played, off the representatives of the Powers in Peking one against another in the most approved Oriental fashion, By encouraging the English wd German Ministers in their hopes, and the Russian and French in theirs, the Tsungli Yamen maintained its usual policy of inaction and rejoiced secretly at the state of affairs with exceeding and great joy. For the more energetic spirits among the great Chinese officials conceived that. the golden moment had arrived to carry out the policy in which they had never wavered since foreigners first set foot in China; from which they had never deflected, but through fear of force); and in which they had been so greatly encouraged by their successes all along since the sixties, and particularly in the early nineties—the policy of driving out of the Middle Kingdom the detested and contemptible red-haired barbarian, Soa great secret plan was concocted and every official was in it from the highest to the lowest, and all things worked together for its complete success. The Tsungli Yamen gave the British Minister the fullest assurance that in withdrawing gunboats from the Yangtze and the Northern Ports there would not be the slightest danger to his nationals, and similar assurance was given to the representatives of both France and Germany. And to make evident the zeal with which foreigners were to he protected, the Emperor and the great. Viceroy issued' many proclamations and caused edicts to yo forth instructing the people in their duty, and directing that foreigners were not to be molested or injured in any way; all which edicts and proclamations were quite umnecessary as the people had never shown any disposition to molest and injure the foreigner unless previously stirred up by the hirelings of officialdom. Therefore emissaries were sent secretly over the length and breadth of the land, to where-ever foreigners dwelt, to sow the seeds of And the greater the number of emissaries sent the greater were the number of proclamations issued. And the high officials
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.