Fob many years past the Powers have been practising a policy of " squeeze pidgin "

on China. The Government of the Celes^ tial Empire have been beset by the Am-

bassadors of many nations pressing for territory here, concessions there, and generally striving to out-do one another in mopping up the country. It has been the march of Western energy and enterprise against the effete conservatism of the East. The Chinese Government has had no power oE resistance ; it has given bib by bit until

the administrators have seen their country, which for centuries lias maintained the same stagnant, stand-still-state, about to be absorbed and revolutionised by the modern methods of the foreigners. And, we believe, the Chinese Government feeling its own helplessness to arrest by diplo matic means the great tidal wave of civilisa tion, has connived at and sanctioned, if not openly organised, the Boxer rebellion which is now threatening to drive every European out of China. It is estimated that fully eleven millions of men belong to the Boxers. That Society, which now stands for lawlessness, robbery, and murder, and is actuated by an intense hatred of the foreigner, is said to be a good influence gone wrong. Originally it was organised as a protest and a means of defence against the bandits with which the province of Shantung was infested. It was, in fact, a Law and Order League, lta name was then the Ta Tao Hwei, which means " The Society of the Great Sword," and as it became more powerful and increased in numbers, many dishonest and designing persons entered it for the prestige and pro tection it afforded. These men proved a disturbing element, and in many caseß directed the efforts of the society against their personal enemies, whom they repre sented as bandits and lawless persons. Gradually, however, the attention of the Boxers has been turned to the, foreigners, and an intense hostility has been culti vated against the missionaries, the native Christians, and everything Western. There have been frequent outbursts of fanaticism during the past ten years, cul minating in the massacre of missionaries and the pillaging of " foreign devils' " pro perty, and in most of the disturbances the hand of the secret societies can be traced. Latterly quiteareignof terror has prevailed throughoutlhe great province of Shantung. 