314 THE EAST CHINESE RAILWAY. 



gradual diminution in the export of light sundries, the 

 trade in which the Russian authorities were doing their 

 utmost to divert towards Russia." 



In other words, the bear's claws had closed over the 

 victim, which was to be strangled or absorbed as the 

 future might dictate. The calculations upon which 

 such action was based have, as I have already pointed 

 out, been rudely and, from the Russian point of view, 

 unexpectedly shaken by the resolute action of Japan, 

 and further by the courage of China, which has grown 

 from that action, and which decided her, in face of 

 violent opposition from Russia, to open the towns of 

 Mukden and Antung to foreign trade. In what exact 

 proportions the balance of power in the Far East will 

 be readjusted at the expiration of the present war it 

 is impossible to say ; but of this much we may rest 

 assured — that, in the event of the success or partial 

 success of our aUy, British trade and intercourse will 

 be delivered from the shadow of that cloud which 

 was rapidly spreading from the north, and which the 

 diplomatic efforts of our own statesmen showed them- 

 selves powerless to dispel. 



From Port Arthur and Chifu I travelled on to 

 Tientsin and Peking, and later spent some time at 

 Wei-hai-Wei before leaving for Japan ; but in the 

 Celestial capital, which has been described too often 

 and too well to require any further comment from 

 my pen, the immediate objective of my journey across 

 Asia was achieved : and for the purposes of this book 

 I take my leave of the reader, as far as the narrative 

 of travel is concerned, within the massive walls of the 

 Chinese capital, which, thanks to improved communica- 

 tions in recent years, has opened its gates to the 

 curiosity of the world, and has therefore at last ceased 

 to be answerable to the charge of " not making itself 



