Pouitics in China may be regarded, perhaps, as system of under-currents, swirling, for the most p: tinual and wonderful intricacy. Certain of these under-currents there are, however, which hold a fixed course in the general commotion—the Association, to wit. Year follows year, and brings with it an Annual Report, whereof the better part is the review of the events of the previous year, with which it opens. The yearly issuing of this report is not the least of the many useful things which the Association has done and is doing. Broadly spe: the great value of the Association consists in its careful vi on matters affecting British interests in China, and the strength which is behind its representations to the home government. Its Committee is powerful, the more since those who compose it are old in knowledge of the Far East—the knowledge which is gained at the touch of the shoulders, as distinct from book learning. It is a far cry to the end of the reasons why the Association should be, and is, diversely useful both here and at home.
The continual vigilance aforesaid, and the daily accumulation thereby of information on matters current, are of avail in making the Report very interesting reading. This for 1899 devotes first some space to a consideration of the political situation. The ear-marking by the great European Powersof their spheres 952! of interest, their present quiescence—
A nation of 300,000,000 of people is assuredly not going to be wiped out; but a country consisting of eighteen great" provinees held ther by the cult of an Emperor whose Throne has been usurped by an unpopular Regent may be in dat of disintegration; and the contingency certain Powers would step in, then, maintain order, and be led gradu: assume _adwminist certain districts, coup d'érat_ work of certain Manchus and Reactio Mandarins backed-—and, in no slight gree, probably inspired—by the Palace creatures and the Permanent Otticiallom of Peking. Ignorance of the forces really at work combined with personal ambition to thruw the Empress Dowayor into the hands of this clique. One consideration only might lead her to desert it, and throw her influence into the opposite scale. TE it could be brought home to her that the reactionary policy con danger for the Dynasty, she induced, yet, to support" poli Her halton the threshold of what w: intended, seemingly, to tat, some weeks age, p not altogether impervious to nunife of popular sent position to form an opinion are pers that she is kept in ignorance of the port and magnitude of the crisis by which the Empire is assailed.
Then the Report gives a list of the railways in China, those completed and working, and those in progress or projected, which precedes some remarks on Judicial Reform.
There are very few who can Lo other than in complete accord with the opinion that 2 Code of Commercial law is strongly needed. However well the present practice of submitting commercial disputes between foreigners and Chinese to arbitration may work, the value of a definite code of rules, or law, upon which such matters could be settled by a regular tribunal, is obvior Decisions so given have the additional weight of orthodoxy, so to speak, of the greatest importance where the Western is concerned as against the Eastern. The next point which is touched upon is a scheme for teaching Chinese, regarded, and very justly, as increasingly necessary in proportion as access to the interior is facilitated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.