NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Chinese, under a General named Sung, are fighting a little better; and in an engagement on the road to Neuchang the Japanese lost, in killed and wounded, five hun- dred men. The Chinese were, however, defeated, and fled past Neuohang, which will now be occupied by the Japanese Army of Manchuria without resistance. Their next great attack, probably a fortnight hence, will be on Shan-hai-kwan, the head of the railway to Tientsin, and if they capture this and Tientsin, the road to Pekin will lie open before them. There may however be fierce resistance both at Shan-hai-kwan and Tientsin. The Chinese Government still talks of negotia- tions, and has taken the very odd step of asking the American President to send them a statesman to advise the Ambassador they are despatching to Tokio. Mr. Cleveland has accordingly selected a Mr. Foster, and he is to leave Vancouver on January 7th for Japan. If the Chinese diplomatists do not take care, they will begin negotiations after Pekin has fallen, and will find the terms raised to an impossible figure.
