The closing months of the year find us in the growing stress of an international contest for ultimate supremacy in Szechuan. With commendable pertinacity and a pra: dence that commands admiration, our rench neighbours have made their plans, Kept them to themselves, and by dint of every form of suasion and perseverance have achieved their ends in a large measure. It were churlish to aerly to them the admiration due under the present circumstances. Some three years ago it was announced ina Shanghai journal that M. Haas was, according to report, leavin; Chengtu with half Szechuan in his coat-tai! pocket. A trifle-premature, perhaps—the announcement did not emanate from Mr. Haas, it is needless to say—and a bit exaggerated, as one's most prudent guesses are apt to be, but as a prediction the report was entitled to more dignity than was accorded to it. Just how much the French agents have got of this goodly province is somewhat diticutt to say, and it is equally hazardous to define the limits of their hopes for the future. This much, however, is safe and reliable; the ast concessions already given do' not unit either their efforts or their hopes. From east to west they will be entitled to colour the face of Szechuan with any tint appropriate to the Empire of France, and what five years ago was claimed as a British sphere of influence, and already painted red in the ardent imaginations of some British geographers, will be dotted over with large and important areas that, whatever colour the French rub in, will notwithstanding the laws of vision, always look yellow to the disappointed ' British artisan. All due to the—Boer war? Hard-though that may have been a contribut-agent—but rather to a fatal habit of ignoring tendencies and facts that are inconvenient, till they suddenly rise up and strike us in the face.
Needs and D' ficulties.
Some spur is always needed, apparently, to ake our claims and intentions effective. Now, of course, we are hurrying to overtake the fugitive Time and the Opportunity that is past. We may get something. How much? That is probably only known to a few men who have access to official documents and conversut The capable and energetic British Consular agent for West China may be trusted to do hiis best to arrest the present tendency of the responsible officials at Uhéngtu, but he has to work under great difficulties and at too great a distance, while his residence remains in Chungking. The time has cone, to make Chengtu the home of the Consul
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.