The peoples of Europe have accepted the Circular with a
unanimous expression of pleasure, and it seems to be under- stood that it will be at once endorsed, not only by Austria and Italy, but by Japan, France, and Great Britain. Indeed, a correspondent of the Daily Express asserts, on official authority, that Lord Salisbury telegraphed to Li Hang Chang on his departure from Shanghai for Pekin that the guilty must be punished if the partition of China were to be avoided. However that may be, it seems certain that the only doubtful Powers are Russia and America. The Govern- ment of the United States is avowedly reluctant to pledge itself to any policy which may involve future military action, and the Government of Russia is supposed to wish to pose as the protector of the Manchu dynasty, and of its friend, the Empress. We distrust the latter statement. America may withdraw, as her people are getting fidgety at the idea of
" entanglement " in European affairs—as if a man in a crowd could avoid entanglement with that crowd—but Russia will probably either abandon the Empress, or will say that she would rather exact reparation for her own wrongs by herself. That does not mean that she would resist Europe, but that she will go on quietly occupying Manchuria as a material guarantee for the redress of her wrongs. No Power except Japan seriously objects to that, and Japan if isolated will remain quiet.
