Oct. 30.
Tum news of the week end is of a decidedly sensational nature, After long protracted silence Peking speaks again with new confidence announcing conspicuous successes and while we may hesitate to accept Imperial reports at face value, there is sufficient confirmation feom independent sources to show that a bard engagement was fought on Friday and Saturday and that the rebels were beaten back. To those who know the locality it is a mystery why the latter should have troubled themselves to occupy Kilometre Ten, which is certainly no posture for defence. It is important to note, however, that: the Imperialist troops have proved their willingness to fight, and, for once, have apparently been bold to follow up a success. More significant still is the inference which it would seem legitimate to draw, that the Government is now in funds. The silence and inaction of the past ton days are explicable on many not least, perhaps, by the negotiations with Yuan Shih-kai. But first and foremost the most pressing need has been for money and although the whole story of Joan as told to-day is open to some doubt—indeed for the sake of future peace we sincerely trust that it is untrae—the whole tone of Imperial utterances may suggest renewed confidence born of the replenishing of the sinews of war. Two things, then, may happen. If on the one hand the Imperialists can win a decisive victory at Wachung, the best judges are agreed that the revolt in other centres must collapse; and in the ordinary course of human events, the crashing by force of the troops that did rebel against constituted authority i necessity of the Imperial position, whatever meed of clemency may be vouchsafed to those who were only coerced " into joinning the revolution. On the other hand, it can hardly be questioned that Yuan Shih-kai's mission is quite as mach that of mediator as of commander-jo-chief. It will be noted-that his
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.