On the whole, the debate was satisfactory, for it shows
that the Government are not going to be bullied into adopting in regard to Russia a necessarily feeble and ineffective attempt to play the dog in the manger all over China. Our only real disappointment in regard to the debate was Mr. Balfour's failure to adopt a more definite line as to the Yangtse Valley. We are not the least concerned as to the rather flabby form of words extorted from the Tsungli Yamen in regard to ow position in the Yangtse, but we wish that the Government would take some more active steps to earmark that stupendour valley as ours. There is no reason to forbid fore4n eyeelieatez to build railways in our sphere. On the comerary, they should be welcomed like all other capitalists. At the same time, our Government should do some or all of the following things, on the principle that a title is only perfect after entry, actual or symbolical :—(1) Survey the chief waterways; (2) appoint more Consuls ; (3) send a surveying expedition from Barmah, or, bettce still, from India, through Thibet, to meet at, say, Chungking an expedition passing up the river; (4) lend British officers to organise, not Imperial Chinese troops, but a local half-military and half-police force, in the chief 'angtee provinces. By such means as these we can effectr :Hy make the whole world understand that though we will ee. arage all eople who care to do so to develop the Yangtse Valley, wiittave in it " a vested remainder" from the sea to the head-Xthrs of the river on the Thibetan plateau
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