present Ensis China would act with
Energy and promptitude, sending help to Annam from the interior, and preparing The Court, while they sought the moral
support of other nations, not on the ground of old rights in Annam, but
on the expediency of restraining the aggressions of France, and maintaining the balance of power, the French, though regardless of international law, and bent
only on self-aggrandisement much, would still be compelled by the force of public opinion, And the general indignation roused by
the obstruction of the trade of European
Countries, to abandon their design upon
Annam. The
Lum hsun Yat goes on to add: "Surely England,
for example, would see the importance of maintaining the integrity of
Annam,
as she saw the importance
of maintaining
the integrity of Turkey - If China follows
an enlightened and straightforward
course, cultivating the friendship and sympathy of the other European nations
then France will be isolated, and
will agree
to terms, at least better
than those which she could get now
by weakly conceding whatever the
French...