1 NOVEMBER 1884, Page 3

The Times correspondent in Paris wishes greatly for English mediation

between France and China, and recommends a plan of campaign to M. Ferry which is positively absurd. He advises that the coast of China should not be attacked, that Formosa should be abandoned, and that the French, concentrating in Tonqnin, should invade and hold the province of Yunnan until the Chinese yielded. The secret calculation is that this project would alarm the Government of India, which would thus be brought in Burmah into almost direct contact with the French ; but that Government, fortunately, is fairly well informed. It will let France try to conquer 'Yunnan, if M. Ferry is ignorant enough to make the attempt, with profound equanimity,

confident that France will have more than enough to do for a century or two. Yunnan is part of the solid mass of China; would be defended by the people, as well as the dynasty, to the last ; and would take more troops to garrison it than would suffice to seize Pekin. The enterprise would overtax France and England in alliance ; and with Chinese troops pouring in masses into Tonquin, and threatening Bacninb, is positively absurd.