BRITISH CONCESSIONS. 377 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

 THE FAR EAST — continued. 



The British awakening at Peking— The present value of Wei-hai- Wei- 

 Germany at Kiao Chau— The reform movement— A dramatic coup 

 d'etat— The Boxer outbreak of 1900— A colossal scheme of regeneration 

 — Russia's demands as the price of the evacuation of Manchuria — 

 The Manchurian Convention of 1902— Manchuria seen once more 

 under the searching light of war — Points to be borne in mind in 

 weighing the chances of Russia and Japan — Russian lack of organisa- 

 tion— OfRcial corruption— Capabilities of the Siberian railway— The 

 Russian army— The soldiers of the Mikado— 5ws/a(^o— The patriotism 

 of the people— Victory in the field likely to attend the Japanese 

 forces— The fate of Russia rests with the Russian people. 



If the year 1898 was remarkable for the bold execution 

 of Russian designs, it was also made memorable by two 

 other events — the awakening of British statesmen from 

 their inexplicable dream, and the amazing attempt of 

 the Emperor Kwang Hsli at reform! A glimmering 

 perception of the real goal towards which events in the 

 Far East were rapidly drifting seems to have at length 

 cast a ray of light across the darkness of the British 

 mind. Strong representations were made at Peking, 

 and various concessions secured in the opening days of 

 the year, among which were a declaration on the part 

 of the Tsungli-Yamen that territory in the Yang-tse 

 region should not be mortgaged, leased, or ceded to 

 another Power, and a promise that as long as British 

 trade preponderated over that of any other Power, the 



