Peking, Nov. 9.
The following is a fair reflex of Chinese and foreign opinion in Peking—which was never 30 unanimous on any subject as it is at present—regarding the prospects of peace:
When the President, with the advice of the Cabinet, adopted the strange course of proclaiming peace by Mandate, foreign opinion was divided on the subject, but the most experienced among the foreign diplomats converted the sceptics by pointing out that there was much hard common-sense behind the Government's move, and that the formal cancellation of the Military Government, even though it was by the defeated party, afford ed a legal opportunity too good to be passed over towards opening the way to a general compromise. Tt was urged that if the South and South-west wanted peace, there was then nothing to prevent it, whereas a reconstitution of the Canton Government would weaken Hsu Shih-chang and Chun Yun-peng, both of whom were honestly striving for reunion on distinctly non-militarist lines.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.