M. Arnaud, on behalf of the inter-rational League of Peace and Liberty, followed with a brilliant suggestion. China, he urged, ought to be neutralised for a certain number of years under the joint protection of the Powers. The importation of all war material should be stopped; and China should be, forbidden to levy troops, build forts, or carry on any military operations whatsoever, To this M. Bod retorted that it was impossible to prevent the Chinese from manufacturing their own war material or raising as many troops they chose; and General Tarr briefly asked how M. Arnaud proposed to neutralise enation of four hundred million inhabit ants. M, Fréérie Passy was recommending the congress to pass a Tesolution in favour of forbidding the export of all war material to China, when an unknown Englishman arose at the back of the hall and delivered himself thus: "I think this Congress is absolutely logical. Yesterday everyone was praising the Boers for being so well armed and defending themselves so successfully against England. Now you propose to prevent China from defending herself against the whole of Europe." And the unknown Englishman, conscious of having imparted a little common-sense into the debate, sat down, amid considerable applause and laughter, The resolutions finally adopted were as follows "The Congress is of opinion that the present state of affairs is due (1) To the conduct of missionaries of all Achominations, who, stead of relying exclusively upon the moralizing influence of their religion, adopt the mistaken course of appealing to the jurisdiction of foreign Powers (2) To the behaviour of Occidentals living in China, who generally recognise the hospitality afforded them on Chinese soil by subjecting the natives to insults, provocation, injustice, and ill-treatment of all kinds.
(3) To the rivalry and intrigues of the Powers and their inconsistent and contradictory policy, which, especially during the last' ten years, has varied between extreme weakness and savage brutality, proportion to the material advantages sought after, China being treated at certain times as a strong Power and, at others, as a seventh-rate negro state.
(4) To the annexation of territory by several European Powers and by Japan.
(6) To the openly and cynically expressed intention of Kuropean and American capitalists to seize upon the industrial resources of the country and its sources of wealth, The Congress is, consequently, of opinion that the only policy to be followed in the present circumstances is to prepare for the formal abandonment of the religious protectorate und to facilitate the formation, in China, of a native government which should he independent, honest, wisely progress sive, capable of carrying out indispensable internal reforms, of maintaining the policy of the "open door," and of protecting honest foreign trade, to the benefit of true civilisation."
Resolutions denouncing the oj and the looting carried on by the European and American troops at Tientsin after the fighting on July the Lith and 15th were also voted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.