The point of first importance in the Tonquin affair is
the attitude of China, which is still uncertain. The Chinese Embassies in Europe all say China will defend Tonqnin, but the Court of Pekin is slow to take great resolutions. The Empress- Regent has ordered her ablest Proconsul, Li Hung Chang, to his provinces, which touch on Tonquin, and he is at Shanghai, gathering up force to send forward by sea. So far as we can judge from scattered notices, necessarily imperfect, the Pekin Cabinet, which has one eye on Russia, has determined to await a de- claration of war from France, and to despatch troops to support its vassal King of Anam ; but the troops are to fight as
Anamese, and not as Chinese regulars. Considerable bodies have already appeared in Hanoi—they arrive vid• the Songcoi River—and are armed with chassepots, a portion, no doubt, of M. Dupuis' large importation of those weapons. This policy is convenient for Europe, which thus escapes the annoyances of a French blockade of China, and may not be inconvenient for France. She need not recognise Chinese action, and may fight the battle out in Tonquin and before Hue, the capital of Anam. The campaign will, however, be serious, the season is deadly, and the Government in Paris are incurably averse to make an adequate effort. They want, in fact, to make the Marines and Colonials do, and if they are not exceptionally lucky, they will accomplish very little.
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