becoming daily more and more serious. The various Powers cast
upon us looks of tiger-like voracity, hustling each other in
their endeavours to be the first to seize upon our innermost
territories. They think that China, having neither money nor
troops, would never venture to go to war with them. They fail to
understand, however, that there are certain things that this
empire can never consent to, and that, if hardly pressed upon, we
have no alternative but to rely upon the justice of our cause,
the knowledge of which in our breasts strengthens our resolves
and steels us to present a united front against our aggressors.
No one can guarantee, under such circumstances, who will be the
victor and who the vanquished in the end. But there is an evil
habit which has become almost a custom among our viceroys and
governors which, however, must be eradicated at all costs. For
instance, whenever these high officials have had on their hands
cases of international dispute, all their actions seem to be
guided by the belief in their breasts that such cases would
eventually be 'amicably arranged.' These words seem never to be
out of their thoughts: hence, when matters do come to a crisis,
they, of course, find themselves utterly unprepared to resist any
hostile aggressions on the part of the foreigner. We, indeed,
consider this the most serious failure in the duty which the
highest provincial authorities owe to the throne, and we now find
it incumbent upon ourselves to censure such conduct in the most
severe terms.

"It is our special command, therefore, that should any high
official find himself so hard pressed by circumstances that
nothing short of war would settle matters, he is expected to set
himself resolutely to work out his duty to this end. Or, perhaps,