NEWS OF THE WEEK.
IT appears to be certain that the Russian agreement with China about Manchuria has not been signed,-and that the position of the Chinese Ambassador in St. Petersburg is con- sequently so unpleasant that he has fallen into an illness, diplomatic or real. The Chinese Emperor has, in fact addressed a letter to the Czar which, though courteous tO obsequiousness, covers a very definite refusal. Li Hung Chang is very angry, and has told an interviewer that China must yield in the end; but the old intriguer does not rule the Court as he did when it was at Pekin, and he could personally approach the Empress-Regent. Some other influence is at work in Sian, which may be, as Dr. Morrison thinks, that of the Central Viceroys, who are feeding the Court, or may be that of Japan, which has promised aid if China is actually attacked in consequence of her refusal. Or it may be that the Manchus, who hold one-third of all appointments, and especially the highest, are indignant at the idea of buying off Russia by the cession of the province from which they came, and have contrived to make their indignation effectively felt: At all events, Russia has received a momentary check.
