CHINA

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 May 1901, Page 649

CHINA

Much interest still centres round the negotiations of the Powers in China. Tlio utter impossibility of even pretending to understand tin; Chinese standpoint or fathom their immutable reserve naturally makes matters worse, and pushes further and further oft' any settlement of the dillicultie.s which will restore peace to the nations engaged, and give a feeling of security against present possible complications that will be most warmly welcomed after (lie long spells of warn and rarumirs of wars which have been our portion for some considerable time since. There is no substantial progress to record, as no steps of any great importance have been taken towards the desired end. On the contrary, late cables go to show that the violent hatred towards the '" foreign devils " is sfcill smouldering, and ever and anon flames forth in one quarter or another. The appointment of a Board of National \dtninistration by the Dowager .Empress would be a step in the right direction if one could feel assured in the first place that the Empress had the requisite authority to appoint such a Board, and secondly that the members composing it, amongst whom arc such men as Prince Ching and Li Hung Chang, were really invested with the full powers, necessary for the representation of

the nation