We have expressed elsewhere our sense of the gravity of
the situation in China. Here we will only note that the Chinese plenipotentiaries are said to have agreed to the Joint Note in principle, but want to discuss it in detail. This the Ministers will not allow, and declare that the Chinese mast sign at once and unconditionally. No doubt under compulsion Prince Ching and Li Hung Chang will sign, but unless we are greatly mistaken, they will discuss all the same, and these discussions, under some diplomatic alias or another, will be deliberately prolonged in order to prevent action of any kind. Meantime a good deal of excitement has been caused in England by the virtual annexation of Manchuria by Russia. Russia and China have signed an agreement under which Mukden and the Southern Province of Man- churia shall be civilly administered by China, though in Russian military occupation. There will be a Russian Resident at Mukden, who will act like an Indian " political " at the Court of a protected State. The passing of Manchuria into Russian hands was, of course, inevitable, and really need not concern ns very greatly. When we allowed Russia to go to Port Arthur—quite rightly, as we hold—the absorption of Manchuria into the Russian system became inevitable. It remains, of course, to be seen whether Russia, even with the buffer of a Chinese civilian administration, will not find the task of keeping order over so large an area a somewhat arduous undertaking.
