The Asiatic Department of the Russian Foreign Office fails, we
fear, to hold its generals well in hand. It is asserted from many quarters that General Gribsky, in ommand- of the district of which Blagoveatschenk is the chief town, in. dignant at the Chinese invasion, and probably suspecting collusion between his assailants and the Chinese civil popnla. tion, after repelling the soldiers, let his troops loose on the unarmed people. The troops, who in that region are for the most part half savage, commenced a general massacre so extensive that the fish of the Amur died of eating the dead bodies. He then issued a proclamation declaring that the Chinese bank of the Amur had become Russian, and threaten- ing death to all who resisted. The same eavage policy was also followed at Newchwang. We do not doubt that the Russians have had terrible provocation, the Chinese having secretly planned and executed the massacre of the unarmed employes of the railway; but war of this kind, which includes women and children, is wholly opposed not only to Christianity but to every principle of civilisation. The excuse put forward, we see, is that it was necessary to move the Chinese, and as they would not go force was employed ; but it is totally inadequate. If the Czar wishes to govern Manchuria in peace he must choose for generals men who understand that terrorism of this kind destroys their moral claim to rule, and justifies in Chinese eyes their own barbarities.
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