with one another; Russian generals refusing to obey orders; Russian generals deliberately upsetting plans, mark every stage of the war. It is no reflection on Japanese prowess to say that had German troops, instead of Russian troops, been in Manchuria, the slowness of the Japanese advance might have been responsible for very different results.

CHAPTER XXIX

FAR EASTERN OPINION ABOUT THE WAR

An interesting series of questions, the answers to which might alone fill a volume, is contained in the heading which stands above. "What are the people saying," is a question which has been anxiously asked many times in history and is indeed historical. To answer what they are saying and thinking all over that part of the Far East affected by the war-that is, Northern and Central China, Manchuria, Korea and Japan, is no mean task. Perhaps, however, travels lasting a number of months and covering several thousand miles by land and by sea, the knowledge of some Far Eastern languages and dialects and a few European ones, together with a somewhat intimate intercourse with men ranging from Ministers Plenipotentiary to humble coolies and carters, and comprising such different nationalities as Englishmen, Americans, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Russians, Japanese, Chinese, Manchurians, and Koreans, may be held to give some authority.

The man most affected by the war should

undoubtedly be the Chinaman. It is true a Japanese might object to this statement and point out that since it is Japan which has to be prepared to bleed to death, and may have to mortgage all of value in her domains up to the hilt to continue the war, her people's opinions should be first discussed. All in good time, however, so that each attitude may fit into the general scheme of things as accurately as possible. It is sometimes advisable to paint the background and middle distance first, so that the eloquent figures which occupy the front of the stage and press ever more forward should be thrown properly into relief.

Of course the Chinaman is not what anyone would reasonably expect him to be, and his opinion about the great war, expressed publicly and privately, is tinged with a curious Russian-like indifference which is somewhat remarkable. Chinese opinion may today be divided into three classes: Chinese newspaper opinion, Chinese official opinion, and the opinion of the Chinaman in the street-the lastnamed, although this fact has not been sufficiently noticed, being every whit the same factor it is in Europe, although the Chinaman has been only thinking imperially since his strange Boxer days. It is necessary to throw some light on these things.

The native press of China, which before the war with Japan a decade ago numbered six or seven publications, is to-day composed of no less than 160 daily, weekly, and monthly journals. Of these the majority are published at the treaty ports, whence

the native postal agencies-min chú-forward them with great rapidity by steamer and by courier over half the Empire. Many provincial capitals have also newspapers published within their walls, but it may be broadly said that the native press is a latterday development which has been brought about by the presence of the foreigner and by the influence of the foreigner's thoughts and ideas, and that consequently the great treaty ports are still the safe strongholds from whence the newspaper "reform" warfare is mainly directed.

The circulation of the most popular of the Chinese daily publications is still trifling compared with European or American newspapers. But as each copy is read by a number of people, and indeed. handed from man to man in many cases during the whole day for reasons of economy, it is safe to say that whilst in no case does any circulation exceed 16,000 copies a day, probably at least four or five persons read each copy and ponder over the new use of archaic characters which enterprising native editors are constantly making. It is interesting to note that in the case of the Peking Gazette-the oldest publication in the world, but rather a Court and Government circular than a newspaper-copies are actually hired out for so many hours a day. It is certain that the conclusion of the great war and the extension of the railway system in China will see circulations quadruple and quintuple, as was the case in Japan after the 1894-1895 conflict.

These 160 Chinese publications probably print off

half a million to a million copies, and therefore it is reasonable to suppose that from two to four million Chinese read more or less regularly a daily, weekly, monthly journal, and are beginning to understand questions about which they knew nothing as recently as ten years ago. This is a very important result to arrive at. If we add the numbers who listen to opinions which have been culled from newspapers, the total number of persons influenced cannot fall far short of six or seven millions.

Of these native journals the large majority are owned and operated by Chinese independent of all foreign help. But in no case can it be said that they are not tinged with the views of the foreigner, to whose translated books and publications they indeed look for explanations on every question of the day. It may interest those who have holdings in South Africans to learn that the question of Chinese labour for the Rand has been academically discussed at great length by many newspapers without influencing in the slightest the coolie concerned, who wants high wages, and as yet cares little for opinions.

This last sentence may be taken as descriptive of the influence of the native press of China to-day. It is feeling its way, "finding itself," like Kipling's new ship, and gradually growing up to the time when it will be a powerful influence capable of swaying the nation. For the time being, it is a halting teacher with a mass of half-assimilated knowledge which it attempts to impart to its readers with only partial But both papers and public, however, with

success.