Negotiations in China have advanced one step. The repre- sentatives
of the Allied Powers have agreed upon terms, which will be presented to the Empress-Regent in a conjoint Note. They are substantially the terms proposed by M. Delcasse, and the pith of them is that eleven of the great Princes, Mandarins, and generals who counselled the recent outrages shall suffer death ; that an indemnity shall be paid to the Powers and to those foreigners who have suffered ; that officials who do not prevent outrages shall in future be dismissed ; that the Legation quarter in the capital shall be fortified, and garrisoned by European soldiers ; that all forts on the coast of Chihli shall be razed ; that the import of arms and ammunition shall be prohibited ; and that the Tsung-li- Yamen shall be replaced by a responsible Foreign Minister, There are no territorial cessions demanded, no further immunities for trade, and no changes in the general scheme of government in China. The obvious intention is, when justice is once satisfied, to refrain from any stipulation which would involve either a European supervision of China or a European partition. It is asserted that the Chinese Government will treat upon this basis, but that is, of course, only the opinion of the Chinese in Pekin. The Empress has still to be heard from.
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