remain a Chinese line, subject to the control of the Chinese Government, and cannot be mortgaged or alienated to a nonChinese company.

As regards the branch line from Siaoheichan to Sinminting, in addition to the aforesaid restrictions, it has been agreed that it is to be constructed by China herself, who may permit Europeannot necessarily British-engineers to periodically inspect it, and to verify and certify that the works are being properly executed.

The present special Agreement is naturally not to interfere in any way with the right of the Russian Government to support, if it think fit, applications of Russian subjects or establishments for concessions for railways, which, starting from the main Manchurian line in a south-westerly direction, would traverse the region in which the Chinese line terminating at Sinminting and Newchwang is to be constructed.

The Undersigned, &c.

(Signed)

St. Petersburg, April 16 (28), 1899.

COUNT MURAVIEFF.

APPENDIX C.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF AUTHORITIES OF THE FAR EAST.

A complete bibliography of the Far East would extend to such proportions as to require a volume to itself. A catalogue of even the more valuable works which have appeared on this subject would comprise many hundreds of entries, which could only confuse the reader, instead of aiding him in the selection of those volumes suited to his requirements. For this reason I have decided to follow the course adopted by me in the appendix to Russia in Asia, and give in the form of a bibliographical chapter a classified list of the most authoritative writings dealing with the countries and peoples of Further Asia. I have been guided in the inclusion or exclusion of the various works available by their intrinsic value as tested by personal experience, and for this reason it will be found that while several volumes by well-known writers do not figure in the following catalogue, their places are filled by others, which while less famous than they deserve to be, are well worthy of consultation.

THE FAR EAST.

Until the publication of the present volume, no attempt appears to have been made to supply a compact history of the countries of Further Asia. The nearest approach to a general survey of the Far East is that provided by Lord Curzon in his Problems of the Far East, of which a second edition was published in 1896. While admirable in its manner, and authoritative, the book is now somewhat behind the times, and might be brought up to date with advantage. Another work which includes a survey of all the countries of Further Asia is Mr. Henry Norman's Peoples and

Politics of the Far East, which, though published in 1895, contains much material which is of present interest. To these may be added Professor Reinsch's World Politics at the End of the Nineteenth Century as Influenced by the Oriental Situation, a valuable work full of thought and suggestion,

CHINA.

The best history of China is that by Mr. D. C. Boulger, which leaves nothing to be desired. Those who desire a more condensed manual will find Professor Douglas's volume in the "Story of Nations Series" invaluable. The political history of the country, more especially in regard to the relation between the Celestial Empire and the European Powers, is fully dealt with in the present author's China in Decay. Those seeking more detailed matter relating to the trade and resources of the country may consult Lord Charles Beresford's Break up of China, and Mr. A. R. Colquhoun's China in Transformation. For an account of the characteristics of the Chinese people the best books extant are Professor Douglas's Society in China, Mr. A. H. Smith's Chinese Characteristics, the same author's Village Life in China, and Mr. Holcomb's The Real Chinaman.

Of the numerous works describing the country and giving incidentally an insight into the life of the people, the most valuable are Dr. Morrison's An Australian in China, Mrs. Bishop's Yangtse Valley and Beyond, Mr. Archibald Little's Through the Yangtse Gorges, and above all Miss Scidmore's China, the Long-Lived Empire.

The chief of the various volumes dealing with the early Chinese wars have been referred to in the course of the foregoing pages. Of these Stanley Lane Poole's Life of Sir Harry Parkes; Sir H. B. Loch's Personal Narrative of Occurrences; Lord Wolseley's Narrative of the War with China; Sir George Staunton's Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China, and Laurence Oliphant's Narrative of Lord Elgin's Mission are the most valuable.

The China-Japanese War claimed many historians, of whom the best are Vladimir1 and Inouyé.2 Eastlake and Yamada's Heroic Japan also possesses considerable merit.

1 The China-Japanese War.

2 Japan-China War.

Of histories, the best are those of Sir Francis Adams,1 and Sir C. J. Reed. Unfortunately, neither of these is up to date. Doctor Murray's monograph in the "Story of Nations Series," while less replete in detail, is complete and recent. In addition to these we have Mr. Griffi's Mikado's Empire, Count Inagaki's Japan and the Pacific, Lord Curzon's Problems of the Far East, already referred to; and for an intimate knowledge of the subjects coming under its title, Mr. B. H. Chamberlaine's Things Japanese.

Mr. House's monographs on certain episodes are also of value, notably his Shikoshima Affair, and the Japanese Expedition to Formosa. Much interesting reading is also to be found in Mr. Griffi's Life of Townsend Harris, the same author's Life of Commodore Perry, and Mr. Mounsey's Satsuma Rebellion.

Japan does not seem to have inspired as many recent authors as has China, and few of the books which have been published possess any other than mere passing interest. The best work on the Japanese and their customs is Mr. Norman's Real Japan, now somewhat out of date, and Mr. J. Morris's Advance Japan, which has deservedly come to be regarded as a standard work.

KOREA.

3

The historians of Korea are Mr. W. E. Griffis and the Rev. J. Ross. Both are admirable. The revised edition of the former leaves nothing to be desired. Mrs. Bishop's Korea and her Neighbours is a readable and interesting record of history and travel by a skilled observer. Ernest Oppert's A Forbidden Land is a literary curiosity as well as an amusing book. Lord Curzon's Problems is indispensable in connection with the political outlook in Korea, and is the only book which deals with the international question, unless we take into account Mr. Griffi's America in the East.

RUSSIA.

The most recent history of Russia in the Far East is that included in the author's Russia in Asia, and as regards China enlarged on in China in Decay. The early conquests of Siberia are recorded in Ravenstein's Russians on the Amur. Recent volumes dealing with Siberia are Reid's From Peking to Petersburg, Vladimir's Russia on the Pacific, and Simpson's Side Lights on Siberia.

1 History of Japan.
3 The Hermit Nation.

2

Japan, its History, Traditions, &c.

4 History of Corea.

FRANCE.

Of the numerous volumes on the countries of the Indo-Chinese possessions of France, Ferry's Le Tonkin, Garnier's Voyage d'Exploration de l'Indo-Chine, Captain Norman's Colonial France, and the same author's Tonkin, or France in the Far East, are the best. A good deal of light is thrown on French methods by Mr. Henry Norman in his Peoples and Politics of the Far East, and Mr. Smyth deals with the same subject in Five Years in Siam.