80th October.
The Minister-designate to the United States, Spain and Peru.
It will be remembered that shortly after the departure from Shanghai of HLH. Prince Tsai Chen, the Chinese Special Ambassador to the Coronation, for Europe last May, certain stories of a derogatory character were spread about by interested parties concerning the Prince and his Chief Secretary and Adviser, Sir Chéntung Liang Cheng, K.C.M.G., insomuch that it was even confidently asserted that Prince Ching, the father of Prince Tsai Chen, was so incensed that his Highness had vowed vengeance against the gentleman who wwas.acting as his son's adviser and fides Achates and whose chance of succeeding ELE. Wu Ting-fang as Chinese Minister to the United States, Spain and Peru was therefore not only extremely jeopardised but even the rank and titles held by him. Friends and well-wishers of the able and distinguished official in question were naturally much alarmed at the time at these rumours which, however, upon enquiry both before and after the return of the Special Embassy, proved to false. The following letter from an authoritative source which we have been permitted to transcribe may,—therefore, be of interest to readers of these "Notes"
"As will have been seen from the newspapers of the time Prince Tsai Ghén and his Chief Adviser and First Secretary of Embassy, Sir Chéntung Liang Chang, K.CM.G., upon their return to Peking from abroad were received in special audience by Their Majesties the Empress Dowager and Emperor on the 26th of September. -At this audience the Empress Dowager, after complimenting Sir Chéntung on his able services with the two special embassies—the Coronation Embassy and the Embassy of Apology of HLH. Prince Chun to the German Emperor—gave a specimen of the result of her present studies in the English language by saying, with a remarkably clear pronunciation, to Sir ; Chéntung, "I like to see you afte Since Sir Chéntung's return to Peking {his highness Prince Ching has been ecially kind towards him, while the Ministers of the Grand Council upon whom Sir Chéntung called to pay his respects seemed most friendly to him. They all assured him that H.E. "u Ting-fang's retention for a few months' longer in the United States had no reflection on Sir Chéntung whatever, and that the Court had acted at the joint request of their Excellencies Viceroys Liu K'unyi and Chang Chih-tung, as it was understood at the time that he (Sir Chéntung) had to return to Peking with Prince Tsai Chen and therefore could not possibly take charge of the Washington Legation before January next. Finally, Prince Ching desired Sir Chéntung to remain in Poking until after the celebration of the Empress Dowager's birthday (9th of November next) after which, if he so desired, he could have the usual leave of two months for a trip home (Canton), eventually sailing for the United States in January, 1903."
Returning Thanks on Behalf of the Liu Family, structions of the family. of the late Yuan Taotai of this port, under in-
Viceroy Liu K'un-yi at Nanking, sent through H.E. Li Shao-fen, Acting Viceroy of the Liang Kiang and Provincial Treasurer of North Kiangsu, called personally on Monday on the various members of the Consular Body, Chinese oticials, and Foreign and [Chinese gentry and merchants to return thanks on behalf of the Liu family for the formers' kindness in attending the funeral services of the late Viceroy, held at the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, Bubbling Well Road, on the 12th inst.
The New Commander-in-Chief of Shantung.
A Chinan, capital of Shantung, dispatch states that at the request of Governor Chou Fu, the Throne has ap-Pointed General Mei, one of Viceroy Yuan to take the chief command of the entire hih-kai's best and ablest general officers,
military forces and defences of Shantung province. It will, perhaps, be remembered that General Mei was chiefly responsible for the keeping out of the Boxers of Chihli and Honan provinces from Shantung during 1900 and 1901, through the efficacy and vigilance with which he and his troops guarded and patrolled the northern and western frontiers of that province.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.