Ty its review of 1898, which occupies more than thirteen ec, the Pimes deals as follows with the One of the principal anxieties of the British Government throughout the year has been the series of events in tite Far East, which followed fon the sudden occupation of Kiaochou by the Germans. We need not hero attempt to tell the whole intricate history; it may suffice to describe the present situation, the result of the eager competition of the Powers which the action of the Geeman Emperor first stirred into acti wd Port, Arthur and Talienwan, both of ihas occupied and is actively fortifying; England has obtained We which, it will be remembered, was one of the principal naval stations of China during the Japanese war. We have also received a small piece of mainland opposite the island of Hong. kong; and it may be added that all these new possessions are held under the novel and agreeable fiction of a lease, first applied to these territorial transactions by Germany, in order to "save the face" of China. Long and complicated negotiations have ended in the conclusion of a large loan to China by an Anglo. German syndicate, which was only completed after M. Pavlotf, the very energetic Russian Minisier at Peking, had successfully opposed a number of other arrangements, including the earliest of all the proposals, which was for a loan guaranteed by the British Government.
imultancously the business of obtain concessions for railways has been actively pushed forward. One of very great importance, for a Priing-Hankow line, was given in June toa Belgian syndicate, acti interests of France and Russia; Russia, too, is busy at the port of Newchwang; the agents of the German-Asiatic Bank have been active; and France, not content with claiming concessions in' the south of China, has asked for ined—~now rights at Shanghai, in the face of vigorous opposition frou England, Shanghat faving, been for the centre of our commercial in the Yangtze Valley. Tt was scarcely to be expected that these and other developments should be calmly accepted he Conservative party at Peking, cordingly the Palace was in Septem scene of a remark: the Dowager Empi port of the anti-foreign mandarins, practically deposed hor nephew, re-established the Regency. and seized and executed six of the leading Reformers. After this the energetic lady declared herself in favour of a policy of moderate reforms and proceeded to set an astonishing new precedent by receiving at the Jace the wives of the foreign Ministers, The policy pursued, in China by Lord Salis. bury his een very sharply criticised even by his supporters. It has been marked by more withdrawals than have been to the taste of the country, and the Minister's readiness to give way contrasted somewhat pai he firmness which he display' of Fashoda.
The Times' correspondent's letter in which he descri'+—Lord Charles Beresford's visit to Newchwang contains the following suggestive sentence
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.