Tr is very evident that there is very considerable difference of opinion in Russia itself as to the course that she has pursued of late in reference to Manchuria; and it is probable that the make people understand that her consuming desire is to evacuate Manchuria, and that the Convention which all her critics combined to persuade the Emperor of China not to sign was merely intended to define the gradual process of evacuating Manchuria and ithe temporary measures to be taken for ensuring tranquillity in that country. There is some excuse for Russia's critics, for it isa little difficult to understand how the early evacuation of Manchuria was to be promoted by the insertion in the Convention of a provision that "in Manchuria, Mongolia, and Chinese Turkestan no railway, mining, or other concession shall be granted tothe nationals of any other Power, nor can China construct any railway." As the " Westminster Gazette" says: "Once again we regret that Russia should think it necessary to disguise her obvious aims and ambi~ tions and to play the game of make-believe in this matter. What good end is attained by protesting that an agreement which gave Russia exclusive rights in Mongolia and Turkestan was merely designed to secure the evacuation of Manchuria at the earliest possible moment? The only practical result of this kind of official apologia is to make it difficult to get public feviing friendly to Russia and her aims. For what has really happened is that Russia having put her foot down has had to withdraw it; but it must not be inaagined that she will put it down on exactly the same spot from which she tonk it up." The "Westminster Gazette," like other papers that are not unfriendly to Russia, denies that Great Britain would lose anything by Manchuria becoming Russian, "Manchuria." it says, "is likely to be more open to trade in the hands of Russia than in the hands of China; and if Russian energy is spent in' the north of China we shall be so much the safer on the frontiers of India." There is very little reason to hope that Manchuria will be as much open to trade in the hands of Russia as in the hands of China; and, besides, the great point which the recent publication in the Russian "Westminster Gazette" and other Official Gazette" of the history of home papers miss is that the annexa~ the abortive Convention was intended: tion of Manchuria by Russia means as much for the enlightenment of the, the partition of China, Japan and the opponents of the Forward policy in other Powers that want portions of Russia, as for the information of out-' China's territory will he'd off as long side nations. Russia, it seems, is alas Russia holds off; but they will good deal upset at finding its difficult demand their share and will have it if
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.