The Powers have presented an ultimatum to the Chinese commanders
in the Taku forts. The ultimatum demands that the Boxer Protocol shall be observed. This Protocol gave the Powers the free use of the Peiho river between Peking and the sea. In form, therefore, the Powers are perfectly correct in demanding that foreign ships shall, not be fired on from the forts, that the river shall not: be mined and that foreign ships shall not be searched) On the other hand it must be remembered that the Protocol has been violated several times lately and that the Chinese have not hitherto been warned. The tragedy of China at present is that the rival Generals are fighting simply 1 to get control of the money bags, that the writ of the, so-called Central Government does not run beyond Peking, and that there is no prospect at present of a strong man arising who can quell his rivals and create order. If any-of the present combatants can fill that role, Feng, the Christian general, seems to be the most likely man.
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