Aut the high Chinese officials know very well that the man who sold China to Russia—a sale which was fortunately not completed, owing to the patriotic opposition of the Yangtze and Southern Viceroys—was the statesman whom his foreign flatterers described as" The Bismarck of China," regardless of the insult to the mem"ry of the great German statesman which this designation conveyed. We have it on the authority of the "Times"—and no-one ever penetrated the true character and aims of Li Hung-chang better than the Foreign Editor of the great London paper—that on the 30th of fall September 1901, Earl Li wrote the lowing letter to H. E, Yung Lu,}¥' who was at that time the most trasted adviser of the Empress Dowager. In was one of the last State papers that Earl Li was to write, and knew when he wrote it that the band of death was upon him. The Empress Dowager was on her way back from Heian to Peking, and 4 Russia was using every endeavour to the convention which gave her buna signed, whi'e Japan and public opinion in China were urging the Empress Dowager to refuse her signature. The Russian Minister ab Peking was pressing Earl Li to use his influence with the Empress Dowager, and he succeeded in persuading the moribund Earl to send the following letter to the man who was then directing the policy of the throne, and who, as a Manchu, should have jealously maintained the inter grity of his country "Maw Chinese' officials contend that Manchuria must on no account be abandoned to Russia, Those who hold this language do not understand the present circumstances and are unable to look into the futare. If we leave the Russians in possession of Manchuria no serious: harm will ensue, for in that case friction will arise between Russia and Japan on the frontiers of Corea, and a conflict is bound to break out between the two rival Powers. In the event of war, should things take an nnfavourable turn for the Japanese, it will be our business to join the Russians, and help them to crush the Japanese, thus establishing a claim upon the titude of Russia, who, retaining rea for herself, will give back Manchaoria to China. If, on the other hand, the Russians are unable to withstand the Japanese, we can_ join with the latter and help them to drive the Russians out of Manchuria without running any grave risks, whilst in present circumstances it might be difficult_for us to recover possession of it, England, it is true, attaches great importance to the Manchurian question, but that is nob a consideration that can carry much weight with us, for England cannot employ force. Germany is neutral, France is a mere distant spectator, and America maintains silence. Our Viceroys in the South who hold other opinions have no knowledge of the diplomatic situation. I therefore beg on to take the greatest pains to Bowager Empress. I cannot live event their views reaching the
much longer, and, can only implore you to go on acting in accordance with my principles. In' this you will receive valuable assistance from Yuan Shih-kai."
Those who are told that the Jate Earl Li was the greatest statesman that China produced in the nineteenth century could only conclude from reading this letter that Chinese statesmanship is made up of equal of cunning, duplicity, and shortsightedness. Fortunately, those who know the history of China in the last half-century know that Li Hung-chang was never trusted, however much he night be feared, by the' best public opinion in China Li: urges that Manchuria should be given unto Russia, because that will bring on—as it has done—a war betweti"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.