Tue letter which we publish in another column from a correspondent in Shantung, taken in connection with what has previously appeared on the same topic, "gives to think," as an expressive idiom phrases it in another language. {t is not a year since the Empress Dowager "was issuing Edicts of the most stringent character, showing that she fully apredated the animus of the incessant Rostilities to foreigners, especially to missions, and these attacks, she explicitly affirmed, must stop. The loss of Kiaochou and of no one can say how much else besides on account of the death of two German subjects may have had much to do with this zeal for the impartial execution of the treaties, for it was evident that if riots were not checked, there might soon be left no Empire for Her Majesty to levy taxes upon. Of the numerous and unintermittent disturbances involving foreigners in almost every part of China during the past twelve months it is not our purpose to speak at this time, but we desire to emphasise the affirmation that unless the career of the J Ho Chéiian and its affiliated societies is speedily checked, we are likely to have the lawless conditions of Szechuan during the reign of Yi Mantze repeated with variations, and with possible serious loss of foreign lives which ought to be protected. The J Ho Chitian is a professedly pa-triatic organisation, the object of which is to help the government to do what it cannot do alone. Some of its leaders may be sincere in this purpose, but this only makes them the more dangerous. Such a movement inevitably and speedily gathers to itself all the lewd fellows of the baser sort, always thirsting for opportunities for free food, and especially for plunder and pillage. There is but one method of successful dealing with such risings, which is that applied to conflagrations, to put them out before they have made headway, for otherwise there comes a time when no power can restrain the tremendous forces thus liberated for mischief. Some of the district magistrates in the disturbed regions seem to have acted with commendable promptness and vigour, and in these counties there is very little heard of lawlessness, although there are everywhere secret conclaves which at a moment's warning could be fanned into a flame. In times of emergency the: Chinese government is in the habit of urging the organisation of volunteer militia companies stric ly for home defence, but not liable to be used at a distance. During the past year it is posed that orders have been received from Peking authorising the formation of such bands, and it is under colour of obeying these instructions that the "Boxers" assume to act. In one of the local proclamations issued against them, it is mentioned that in the year 1809 and again in 1816 numerous arrests were nade of those who had established this sect, and had gone into partnership with the spirits of the dead, thus making ita particularly dangerous weapon for political purposes. Now this is precisely the form which the "Boxers" have adopted during the present year. The movement is wide-spread and full of potencies for illimitable mischief.
The Chinese Government has granted extensive concessions for railways and for mining operations not in Shantung only, but in parts of the Empire widely separated. Against the innovations which these gigantic improvements will involve, there is certain to be strong and extended opposition on the part of the ignorant, the prejudiced, and especially on the part of the many interested in keeping things as they are. If the conviction once takes hold of the mass of the Chinese that forei; reforms can be strangled by arganised violence which takes the ostensible
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.