To the Editor of the Sim,—The question of deep interest which thas been raised by "Anglo-German" in your issue of 30th November is surely a very suggestive one. At the same time, there seems to be a line of sophistical' reasoning running through the communication, which deserves caroful attention. When analysed, it 1s found that the letter asks whether the foreign merchants in China would profer to see Russian or Japanese domination and it practically answers this query in favour of the Slav as opposed to a combination of the Mongolian races, the Japanese and Chinese.
Without in the slightest degree insinuating tat "Anglo-German" in any way holds a brief for the Russian cause, I beg to say that among the Russian leaders themselves, a variety of pretexts are put forward to veil the primitive passion for increasing the size of their Empire in the East. One excuse is a desire for revenge on the Tartar hordes which ravaged their country hundreds of years ago. On the same principle, England ought to invade Scandinavia as a revenge for the successes of the Vikings of olden time. Another more plausible excuse is the often expressed intention of developing Manchuria for the advance of Western civilisation. If this be a true reason, why the discriminations which are imposed there, and why the often-repeated statements of the Russians that Manchuria has been already bought by Russia's own blood and money for Russia's own use? A third excuse and the one which we hear most often is the "Yellow Peril" either in a political or a commercial form.
If Russia is to be the champion of Western civilisation against the " Yellow Peril," we must ask what claim she has to pose ax such a champion. In her past history, Russia has been, without doubt, the most exclusive of any Western Power as opposed to the solvent influences which have flowed from Western Europe. In the matter of political liberty alone, the great tide of reform,.which swept Europe im successive waves, during and after the French Revolution, failed to affect Russia., She still remains She stil prides herself en being ce ust an absolute Empire of the ancient type-
Oriental "as European. " Gravtey
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.