Show J THE FRENCH INFOR IT France made short work of her little contest with the Annamese bringing them into subjection and compelling their King to sign an alleged treaty that makes the French supreme in the country But China doesnt propose to have it so Her claim in Annam is both older and better than that of France which in reality is no valid claim whatever being merely anI I impudent assumption The Chinese are represented as having accepted the French challenge and are fast preparing to assert their rights in a manner more forcible than they could in a diplomatic court If matters shall come to an open rupture rup-ture between France and China we may expect the latter will perform some vigorous work to the great mortification of the French One of the mistakes of the day is the belief that modern China is an ignorant weak and barbarous nation that can be imposed upon and abused with impunity by any ordinary power Chinese statesmen states-men rank among the ablest on earth and their diplomats are recognized re-cognized as shrewder and in every way superior to the ordinary men in that profession The Chinese army is no more a mob with stinkpots stink-pots lor weapons highlytrained well organized and thoroughly I armed their officers and drillmasters drill-masters having been Europeans and Americans and their weapons are of the best and most effective known At home France would be no equal match for China hence it seems like nonsense for the hot headed little republic togo to-go half around the globe to engage in a war that must certainly prove disastrous to it Unless there is early backing down on the part of France some interesting news from the East may soon be looked for as the Chinese are said to be hastening to the front 15000 soldiers having already crossed the border into the territory that the French thought they had captured |