Careful observation makes me think that the next war b.tween China and the world will not be so easy a " walkover" for foreign troops as it was in 1900. My remarks may be received with scorn by sceptics; but although I sincerely hope due warning will be taken in time, these words of mine will be remarked when least expressed and sooner than the most pessimistic person can pretend to foretell at present. That the Empress Dowager and her Reactionaries are Unrepentant and only Held by Fear for the present, and that they still hate with a good, strong, hearty hatred all barbarians, although they dare not "run against" them just now, may be seen, as a first step, in the case of the late Chang Yin-huan, Vice-President of the Board of Revenue and Special Ambassador to Great Britain to congratulate the late Queen Victoria on her Majesty's fiftieth year of her reign. In May 1900, while the Jate Chang Yin-huan was an' exile at Urumtsi, the capital of Chinese Turkestan, bearm: of the Roxer outbreak in Peking, he sent no less than thirteen telegrams in succession to the Grand Council, urging it to effect the destruction of the Boxers and to realise the importance of keeping at peace with the foreign Powers. tion that the Empress Dowager was made to send an Imperial edict—the same day Prince Tuan took it upon himself to send an Imperial edict of his own making—to the Governor of Chinese Turkestan, commanding him to put the obnoxious and [interfering exile Chang Yin-huan to death immediately on receipt of the de-levee. This was accordingly done and the unfortunate exile was strangled in his prison, the same night the telegraphed edict arrived at the capital of the New Dominion. Now for the. sequel. The British and U. S. Ministers came forward and asked for the restitution of all his titles and yank to the murdered statesman. This was granted by Imperial de~ cree, but. as will be perceived, worded that any ordinarily educated Chinese could have seen that the restitution had been granted, not because the Empress Dowager thought that the deceased exile bad been maliciously maligned, and was loyal Minister of the Throne, and therefore deserved to be pardoned, but because it had been requested by the representatives of two Great Powers "whom it was not politic ut present offend by a refusal of their joint request. "It is to preserve peaceful relations with these two Powers th we have granted this request for the res tution of all his titles and rank to the late Vice-President Chang Yin-huan," were (1.9 words of the friendly " decree, The Best of {hem All.
Of all Manchus and Chinese officials of the Court, the following two persons easily take the lead over all the others in broadness of views, enlightened statesmanship and patriotism. I mean his highness Prinse Ssu, amongst the Manchus, and BLE. Chang Peh-hsi, at present President of the Board of Punishments and Chancellor of the University of Peking, amongst the Chinese officials. During the famous Reform Year, of 1808 hang Peh-hsi was Literary Chancellor of Kuangtung and very nearly lost place and head for commending Kang Vu-wei, the Reformer, for the post of Minister to any foreign country.
Prince Ssu is a Man of Mature Years, (88), wonderfully well-educated, for Manchu, in Chinese literature, admires foreigners and their civilisation and education, and is a true patriot and loyal Minister of the Crown. His Highness is an exceedingly courteous and affable man and entirely free from the pompousness and haughtiness which the general run of Princes, nobles, and high ministers of State usually "put on." In conversing with any one he soon makes him forget that he is a Prince and the representative of the chief of the eight "Iron-capped" Princely families of this dynasty. He is the patron of all men of literary merit, hence his place is constantly filled with lit crati and enlightened officials from all parts of the empire, who have lately come up to Peking in hopes—vain hopes—of seeing the inauguration of a Reformed Governmen' in the capital, with the promised "independent and free Emprror at its head,"—for this has been the all but spoken promise of the Empress Dowager to the country, ever since she found it necessary to leave Hsian for "some more peaceful and safer spot in the Emp're." Prince Ssu has recently opened a school for the education of younger members of the Chien Jui Corps' of Manchu troops, consisting of 16,000 men, who are under his command. His Highness has appointed an enlightened Manchu hereditary noble of the 6th grade, named San To, a native of Hangchow and belonging. to: the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.