People have been speculate in England as to the whereabouts of Kang wei, the Reformer. The attempt among fa certain party has been to make him out a visionary and an impossible person. Mr. Archibald Little, who has had a long interview with him on his ban through Canada, reports him to be distinct 4 an able, energetic: Chinese of about 40, but looking younger, with a very pleasant smile as their conversation progressed, though to the end retaining a good deal of quiet dignity. Kang Yi-wei is constantly guarded by one of the Canadian mounted police, and seemed in no anxiety about himself, although many needy Chinese know of his whereabouts, and the desire of the Em-Shinese here ate of Kang's party," said his ress Dowager for his head. All the
very pleasing-looking young Secretary, son of an Australian mother and a Chinese father, The Secretary said that Kang had Jost all his property and so had all his family; but he hastened to add: "He is in need of funds. The party supply all that is needed." Kang himself never touched upon personal sufferings in any way. His anxiety seemed rather to. convince the world that the Reform party consisted of men of high education and good standing. He himself is a member of the Hanlin College and was fifth of his term—that is fifth out of thirty-six. According toKang, the Empress Dowager is now very sorry for what she has done, and She is fond of an easy. life, and now finds would gladly retrace her steps if possible. that Jung Lu, whom she brought forward to depose the Emperor, is aiming at the Throne himself. She dares not now touch the Emperor—for she feels that, were ho sone, there would only be herself between jung Lu and the Throne. And she dares not lace the Emperor on the Throne for fear he should treat her as she was so near treating him. If any foreign Power would intervene and guarantee to the Empress
she would probably be but too glad to re-Dowager her safety as to life and property, place the Emperor in authority; and were that power England, England might rest assured that she would thereby win the hearty gratitude of the whole Chinese
out now, many of the officials, actually now people. "For though they, dare not speak in office, are really on the Emperor's side, whilst the younger literati are very generally so.
Kang's account of the coup d'état is at least a very intelligible one. He says the Empress Dowager is clever, certainly, but people think her much cleverer than she is, not realising that Pi, the fat eunuch who takes such large bribes before admitting an official to an audience, is really no eunuch at all, but her favourite and councillor. The young Emperor, shocked by his extortions and bent upon reforms, ordered Pi to be bastinadoed. Pi immediately had recourse to the Empress Dowager, who called up Jung Lu and his soldiers, and at once the heads of the Emperor's special advisers and friends were cut off.
Kang did not, however, speak of this, and of his own brother bei ong the victims. He went on to say that it was a mistake to suppose the Emperor so sickly. He was not. Atthe time that the Empress Dowager was sending for all the doctors of the Empire to prescribe for him he had never been in better health. Whilst on the throne he had it was trug, knocked himself up by overwork. But then no one realised how hard he had worked, insisting on himself reading through al the great piles of etitions daily presented to the Throne. It
ly owing to his tutor, Wong Tung-ho, that was he who was really clever. It i great he is what he is, but'when all is said and done, he must'be considered a Heaven-sent Emperor, a most beautiful character, solely and intently bent upon his country's ood.
Kang remarked thst he considered Britain the best possible friend and prorector of China, but, although. scktorlads: ing his indebtedness, personally, for help in escaping, he complained bitterly of the apathy of our officials generally. He dwelt repeatedly on the fact that the Emperor is one of the finest characters and most triatic spirits thet China, in her long istory, has ever produced. Had Great Britain understood the facts; had the British Minister in Peking been properly informed upon what was going on in the palace, which ho certainty was not, he might have held out a helping hand and, without risk to himself, have saved the young Emperor. Kang and the Emperor both realise that China cannot reform
beginning, much as did the Japanese without calling in foreign advice in the reformers in the time of Pa Hsi Gir Harry Parkes). These advisers might have been British; they will now probably be Russian.
Altogether, Kang believes that the younger generation of the literati are sincerely patriotic and convinced of the need of reform and will not rest until it is brought about. The danger is that, while they are waiting for the reactionary party now in power to wear itself ouf, the partition of China will have gone on to an extent that will destroy the possibility of forming a united and self-dependent empire.
Mr. Little besought Kang not to risk a life so valuable to. China by returning to Hongkong as be talked of doing yery.short~ ly, as there, with the best will in the world, it might be difficult for the British Government to save him from being spirited away. Both Kang and his young tary seemed indifferent to any idea of danger. The Secretary related how amazingly hard Kang worked learning English from him, while in return teaching him Chinese more thoroughly, and never idle for a minute all day long. He had been serving as interpreter to Kang on his journey to England, where he is reported to have been charged with some secret mission, but what its nature was neither divulged.
The impression generally made upon Mr. Little was that Kang is simply residing peaceably in Canada awaiting events, and that the Reform party must prevail in the long run, unless suppressed by some reactionary foreign Power.
Kang was living in a bare upper storey of a Canadian frame-house, with no furniture beyond a trestle bed and a rough pine table, with a couple of chairs: his table was filled with Chinese books and. he is himself busy writing. He presented Mr. Little with his work on reform (in three printed volumes in Chinese), a work which shows an exceptional acquaintance with the history and politics of the West. "Tushort, Kang," said Mr. Little, "is the best-informed Chinese I have ever met.""
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.