Page:The house of Cecil.djvu/338

 296 THE CECILS

protested mildly and then tamely acquiesced ; while his withdrawal of British ships from Port Arthur, where they had every right to be, at the bidding of Russia, is very difficult to defend. Nor were these diplomatic reverses counterbalanced by the acquisition of Wei-Hai-Wei. On the other hand, he obtained the extension of the limits of Hong Kong; the opening up of the inland waters of China to foreign trade and the assurance that the Yangtse basin should not be alienated ; and many very valuable railway concessions. He fought consistently for " the open door," and successfully opposed any granting of exclusive or differential rights. Lord Salisbury, indeed, " redressed the partial failure of his efforts in international diplomacy by the triumphs won, in spite of the influence of powerful rivals, in the field of commercial concessions and additional trade advantages." * Moreover, the signature of the Anglo - Russian agreement (April 28th, 1899) marked the beginning of a better understanding with Russia, which bore fruit later.

Of the success of the Government's Egyptian policy, which resulted in the reconquest of the Sudan and the extension of peaceful civilisation to that unfortunate province, its strongest opponents can now entertain no doubt. While strongly approving of this policy, Lord Salisbury told Lord Cranbrook that he could " claim no share in it " a strange admission for a Prime

1 Whates, p. 164.

�� �