At Liberty th’ unfetter’d Captive stands, And flings the loosen’d Shackles from his Hands.

The first step looking toward the partition of such a state as China is likely to be the marking out of the country into spheres of special interest, and these several agreements between the Powers and China resulted in the application of that term to various parts of the Empire. Thus Manchuria was said to be Russia's sphere of interest, Shantung the sphere of Germany, etc.

Alternative form: rail head

I am obliged to you for your recent help.