While it is clear that reports concerning the alleged British mediation in the Sino-Japanese conflict are at least premature, if not totally unfounded, if Havas is to be believed Britons up to now have only been approached in an unofficial capacity with regard to the matter. The German attempt met with failure, owing to no incapacity on the part of the German officials, but rather because the tempers of both countries were still running high. The demands which Japan then put forward as her minimum terms were promptly rejected by China, and the struggle is still progressing with appalling results io this most unfortunate country, There have been no statements issued by either of the two hostile governments indicating any relaxation of their intentions to fight until they have achieved their purposes, and on the face of things it would seem idle to endeavour to mediate at this particular juncture, The fighting which is at present proceeding with Hsuchow as the next Japanese objective, may possibly have some effect upon the situation, though eyen then it might not be sufficiently imposing to bring about a modification of either nation's ideas regarding peace. Should Hsuchow fall, and the Chinese are making determined efforts to prevent this happening, the Japanese forces would then be in a position to move westwards towards the Peiping-Hankow Railway and ultimately to attack Hankow, It is clear, however, the further Japan progresses into the interior the greater are the demands made upon her resources in men and material and a victory at Hsuchow may make it just as desirable for Jppan to have peace as it might be for China, It is probable, then, that in the comparatively near future an atmosphere may be created in which it might be possible to reinstitute fresh endeavours to bring about peace. They are likely to fail if the Japanese persist in what they term their minimum demands, and it will require very considerable ingenuity on the part of any government which desires to mediate to discover a formula on which the two nations can be brought together, That is no reason why the whole question should not be kept under continual observation for the sooner some sort of settlement is arrived at the better for the general peace of the world,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.