The Times correspondent at Tokio endeavours to state in outline
the policy of Japan towards China. She will not enter into alliance with the great but decaying Empire, but as China is her great market, and she fears States with a protectionist policy, she is willing to reorganise and train the Chinese Army, if Great Britain will at the same time defend Chinese coasts and reorganise the Chinese Navy. Overtures inviting Japan to do both have, therefore, been declined. The correspondent is fierce in his repudiation of the idea that the two nations could combine against the West, and declares that the Japanese have never displayed any ferocity of racial feeling. We are entirely desirous of seeing both Japan and China prosper, but we must demur to this statement. The educated Chinese have from time to time shown the strongest disposition to massacre Europeans, and if there were no men-of-war, the literati, who instigate the risings, would never be punished. Japan is more civilised, but she prohibited Europeans from entering her territory during centuries, and after they had forced their way in, her armed class, the samurai, frequently attacked Europeans solely on account of their nationality. A strong China would undoubtedly slaughter out the Russians in Eastern Asia, and we may be excused for doubting whether the yellow race, if united, would bear either control or guidance from white men.
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