of foreign Powers, is to establish a strong and efficient
Army and Navy. As a matter of fact, I consider that in so determining
China is acting not only in her own interests, but in the interests of
the Great Powers of Europe.

Not very many years ago that excellent sailor, Lord Charles Beresford,
wrote a book entitled, somewhat too previously, "The Break-up of
China." In selecting a title for his work Lord Charles without doubt
voiced the opinion prevalent, not only in this country but in Europe,
at the time he wrote it. The statesmen of nearly all the foreign
Powers then seemed to have arrived at the conclusion that the scramble
for China was imminent and, utilising their experience from what took
place when the scramble for Africa was effected twenty years ago, they
began apportioning in advance the territory that ought to fall to
their lot. In this matter, however, they were wofully mistaken; the
diplomatic physicians of the world may have diagnosed the symptoms
quite accurately, but the patient surprised them all in regard to the
course of the disease and her recuperative powers. There will be no
"break-up" of China, and consequently we are not likely to witness any
scramble for China. There has undoubtedly been an awakening of China,
an awakening to her danger, to a sense of the extent to which her
interests were imperilled. She wants, as I have said, to be severely
left alone, and she is determined as far as possible to effect that
consummation. The men of light and leading in China know perfectly
well that they cannot now, even if they would, shut their country
against European trade, European residents, European visitors. They
are prepared to accept all these, but they will not have European
interference. China is determined to work out her own destiny or
salvation, call it which you will, and Japan is both willing and
anxious to give her all possible assistance in that direction. The
"yellow peril" bogey is, in my opinion, the silliest and most absurd
cry that has ever been put forward by responsible persons.

CHAPTER XX

EUROPEANS IN JAPAN

Like everything else in Japan, the status and position of the
foreigner have been materially changed, in fact revolutionised, of
recent years. When the country was, in the first instance, opened
after its long period of isolation from the rest of the world,
treaties were signed with Great Britain, the United States, France,
and nearly all the other European P