584 



'1 HE Review of Reviews. 



Chinese ; most weighty amongst them are the fighting 

 men, most enthusiastic and noisiest are the students 

 who liave been trained abroad. There are two paths 

 before China— the victory of the Moderates, with 

 Constitutional State, ParUament and a responsible 

 Cabinet, or victory of the Radicals, with a Republic 

 on the soil of the most ancient of Empires. 



What Mandchu Ascendency Means. 



Dr. Dillon, writing in the Contemporary Ra'ieui, 

 says that the present upheaval in China is the most 

 momentous event that has happened since the coming 

 of the Goths and Vandals, k connotes the awaken- 

 ing of Asia, the advent of a giant among nations, the 

 letting loose of a tremendous force which will cut 

 deep into the life of all civilised nations. He gives 

 an interesting account of the privileges of the 

 Mandchus : — 



The eighteen million Mantlchus scalteieJ over the land, of 

 whom there are 6o,OQO in IVkinij, still feel their snperiority over 

 the 4S0 million natives, and make the latter realise it painfully 

 at every hand's turn. For the Mandchus are privileged. Fallen, 

 though they may be from their high estate, they are the con- 

 querors still. Most of the lucrative posts in the empire are 

 reserved for them— the exceptions merely serving to prove the 

 rule. They are the salt of the earth. They possess their own 

 tribunals. Every official document must be translated into 

 Mandchu. No China man or woman might until three or four 

 years ago aspire to a spouse of the higher race. Flogging and 

 other dishonouring punishments 10 which the Chinaman is liable 

 may never be inflicted on the body of any member of the superior 

 nation. For their material well-being, also, the ("lOvernment 

 feels itself morally bound to take thought. Hence every 

 Mandchu has a right to a ration of rice daily, and to a small 

 yearly pension from the State ! 



It is because of the domination of these eighteen 

 millions of privileged Mandchus that the Chinese 

 revolution has broken out. 



Where Chinese Students Go— and NVhy. 



In the same review, Mr. M. T. Z. Tyau, writing on 

 the Hope of China's Future, gives a detailed account 

 as to the successive streams of Chinese students who 

 have gone abroad in order to acquire Western learn- 

 ing. At one time there were 15,000 Chinese students 

 in Japan, now there are only 4,000. One hundred 

 students are now being sent out every year for 

 the first four years, and thereafter fifty every year, to 

 America at the expense of the Government, the money 

 being paid from the Boxer Indemnity which the 

 .American Government refused to accept. 



The New Cardinals. 



The new American Cardinals are sketched in the 

 American Revmv of Reviews by Mr. Walter Dwight, 

 of the Society of Jesus. He says that the United 

 States contains nearly twenty-five million Catholics, 

 one Apostolic Delegate, a Cardinal, 30 Archbishops, 

 97 Bishops, and some seven thousand [)riests. He 

 gives a sketch of the three Americans who have been 

 raised to the Sacred College. 



A GREAT WORK IN SOUTH LONDON. 



Seventeen years ago the Robert Browning Settle- 

 ment was founded in \\'alworth, South London, for the 

 "amelioration of the life aoi lot of the people, to 

 promote the full and happy development of body, 

 mind, and soul, and for tiie furtherance of the Kingdom 

 of God." Since 1895 it has waxed amazingly and 

 grown in activity, influeme and power for good. It 

 originated in Browning Hall, where in 1812 the poet 

 was baptised. To this it has added Browning Garden, 

 Browning Clubhouse, Settlement House, the Slade 

 Club, and the Browning Bethany Homes for the Aged 

 at Whyteleafe. 



In addition to super\ising and supplying tne 

 energy for all the active work in each of these centres, 

 the Warden and staff of voluntary helpers at the 

 Settlement are continually engaged in the service of 

 the necessitous neighbourhood in the midst of which 

 it is set, by means of the following among many 

 other agencies ; Men's Brotherhood, Women's 

 Meeting, Adult School, public worship, Fellowship 

 of Followers, Boor Men's Lawyers, LTniversity Ex- 

 tension and other lectures, Cripples' Parlour, Boys' 

 Clubs, Girls' Clubs, Holiday School, Play Centre, 

 Country^Iolidays, Sunday School, Travel Club, Goose 

 Club, Slate Club and other thrift clubs. Garden 

 Friends, and Boy and Girl Scouts. 



Many great national movements have been due to 

 the dynamic force of the Settlement. The Browning 

 Hall Conference on Housing and Locomotion led to 

 the appointment of the Royal Commission on London 

 Traffic and of the Traffic Branch of the Board of 

 Trade. Browning Hall is also the headquaiters of 

 the National Pensions Committee, which made 

 possible the passage of the Old Age Pensions .Act, 

 1908. The Settlement has, through its Travel Club, 

 and by other means, become a recognised agent for 

 the promotion of international goodwill. 



But whilst the work has increased by leaps and 

 bounds and its sphere of usefulness has broadened, 

 the voluntary contributions to the Settlement funds^ 

 on which it must rely entirely for support — have not 

 grown in proportion. The sinews of war in the 

 battle the Warden, Mr. F. H. Stead, M.A., is directing 

 against social evils in South London are greatly 

 needed, and at this season of the year, when the 

 demands upon the Settlement are particularly heavy, 

 any contributions which readers feel able to give will 

 be especially welcome. They should be sent to the 

 Hon. Secretary, Browning Hall, York Street, Walworth, 

 London, S.E. Help is specially needed to give the 

 poor children fire and warm clothes and Christmas 

 gladness of every sort. 



Admirers of Annie S. Swan will be glad to know 

 that she has just issued a little volume of poems 

 (aptly described as " Songs of Memory and Hope ") 

 under the title of Loves Crown. The dainty edition, 

 bound in velvet leather, makes a charming little gift- 

 book (Nimmo, Hay, and .Mitchell, Edinburgh). 



