Ir hostilities break out this week, and there is some reason to expect that the first operations will not be longer delayed, it will be in some she values her own independence, to try and check Russia now. Our Peking correspondent tells us that with the view of defending Western Manchuria, Russia is concentrating troops: at Hsinmintun, the terminal town of the new branch from the Shanghai-kuan-Newchwang railway, and from other sources we know that troops ul February.
We hope our Chinese friends sufficiently acquain i with wi hist maxims to understand ths point of the advie- we now give therm. From 0 one end of the country to tue other, Governors, Censors, and ways a relief, for the suspense of the are b-ing hurried towards he Yalu yy, ins of all rinks are offering last few months has been as injur.ous to defend Eastern Manchuria. advice.
Some of it is wise, some to trade as war itself. It would seem In an article from the "West-dubious, some bad, and Peking knows that Russia feels herself unable to minster Budget" which will not what to do. One day we are'told face the loss of prestige that she found on our sixth page, the mil by an official organ amongst our might suffer if it was reported correspondent of that paper, 0 ing native contemporaries that the die throughout Asia, as it soon would be, on the Tibet expedition, points out has definitely been cast, and that that she had capitulated to one of that "the fear of Russia. is. very China will unreservedly throw in her the smallest—in territorial extent—largely due to ignorance." 'This lot with Japan as' soon as the boom Asiatic Powers; for it can only be ignorance is not' shared by Japan of the first cannon is heard across. the that or a determination to annex who knows toa man and a eartridye straits.
Next day, and' for many Manchuria in the face of all her what resources Russia can bring to days after, there is talk of nothing previous protestations, that could bear against her in the coming Papuede her to reject the extremely but neutrality. Then appears a para-There are certain advantages which graph or two respecting the march liberal offer made to her by Japan, Japan undoubtedly possesses. Hardy if the "Graphic's" statement of the {as the Russian soldiers are, their of troops and the war-pains of fighting ships, only to be followed" by second article of the draft treaty recent experienc in their stall ex-further news of negotiations at Port submitted by Japan to Russia is pedition against some Manchurian Arthur, and intriguing at Peking. accurate. According to the unusually brigands shows that they do not Russia actually induces Prince Ching well informed foreign editor of the stand well the hardships incidental to try' to bring about mediation "Graphic," Japan offered in that|'e a winter campaign in Man-|petweeu herself and Japan, and the draft treaty to acquiesce in all the|churia, The recent disclosure of tle] weak-minded Minister falls into the rights obtained by Russia in Ma condition of—the plies and] trap only to be rescued by the British churia by Russia's various conven-American representatives, So tions with China, including the indecision waits on doubt and fickle-of Port Arthur and the railway ce but it did not surprise those who ness on both. tracts, ete, and to assent 10 Russia's think they know how matters reali. na's position is admittedly military occupation of the railway, are in Viceroy Alexeiett's jurisdicti -Idifticult one, Everybody knows and to her administration of a strip The Russian harbours a her weakness, nobody' her strength, thirty miles wide on each side of by ice, and owing to the least of all herself." She has: been harbours. "This saale give Russia Russian men-of-war the railway including towns and sufficient docking facilities, aid to he/disaster after disaster, and her ullied and beaten, and sold into the virtual ownership of a strp of] $0 foul that their sped and handi-lpreseut state of moral _flabbiness Manchuria sixty miles wide, including ness, indispensable qua ities in a sea-lis 1, to be wondered at, She is all the principal cities of Western fight, are reported to be seriously afimid to trust anybody. England Manchuriz, and the harbours of Newed. The feverish activity) has fought her again and again, she chwang, Dalny, and Port Arthur. that has been displayed by Russia in It would give perfect protection to di-patching troops by the Suez Canal the railway apart from the military well as by Siberia, and the guard, and would allow Russia withdrawal of the Russian sons control of the mouth of the Liao from Peking and Tientsin, show that River. Japan on the other hand the Russian Viceroy recognises that stipulates for the restoration of the he has nut so large a force of troops remainder of Manchuria to the at his disposal as he would like to effective sovereignty of China, A have, and this morning we print the lance at the map will show that expected news that from to-morrow large as is the territory which would ordinary traffic will be suspended on be given up to Russia's occupation, the trans-Siberian rail There the territory which she would have are still some who believe that war to rstore to China is enormously will yet be averted, but is it credible larger, und we presume that this is that Russia's final reply would be so the condition which Russ'a is unable long delayed if it were a me-sage of to accept. Her plans include, as we peace? Of one thing Japan may be know, the early absorption of Mongo-sure: that if the " Graphic's " account lia as well as the complete annexa-of the terms she offered to Russia it tion of Manchuria, and she proposes accurate, the opinion of the to make the Yalu her southern world, where unprejudiced, boundary for the present. The on her side. absorption of Corea is no doubt contemplated in the future, and a "For tax Bioop 13 rae Livi treaty with Japan formally recognise World-famed Blood Mixture is warranted ing China's sovereignty over' the to cleanse the blood from all impurities from whatever cause arise For greater part of Manchuria would be Scrofula, Scurry, Eczema, Bad Legs, Skin an obstacle to that step. It is the and Blood Diseases, Pimples, and Sore-knowledge taolced by Russia as soon as she has Thousands of wonderful cures bare been that Corea will be at-of all kinds, its effects ure marvellous
digested Manchuria, that makes it! go" Mews. has been attacked by France and assailed by Germany. © Japan, her latest assailant, has been taken as a text for a pro-Russian homily. America has confined herself to honeyed words and the enjoyment of everything grind by everybody else. Of her own sons she knows not whom to trust. How far Li Hung-chang went in his p: o-Russian treachery is possibly known to Prisce Ching ud others, and is doubtless one of the ties holding back the Government from what they must see is their bounden duty in the present crisis.
China has everything to lose everything, unless the outcome of the quarrel now in progress is favourable to her; in other words, unless it is favourable to Japan. Her past, her present, her future, all are at stake. Her past, of which sie 0 justly proud, with all its glorious associations teaching back into the very infancy of time, and continuing with increasing lustre to a period within living memory;_her present, more hopeful, if only she be true to Lerself, than anything she has known jo of her own time; and her future, bright with unparalleled pos-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.