'A native correspondent in Peking sends us the following:—The restoration to Imperial favour of Sheng Kung-pao, as your already know, was duo partly to the occult: influence of the all powerful sycee and partly to the aid of the Chief Eunuch, Li Lien-ying, whose morbid jealousy of the increasing power of Viceroy Yuan Shih-k'ai_caused him to enlist himself on the side of Sheng Kung-pao and whoever had suffered from the trenchant criticisms of the rising Viceroy. This restoration to the favour of the Empress Dowager was publicly made manifest ab Paoting last April at the time of the arrival of the Court from Peking en route the Western Imperial Mausolea. Sheng Kung-pao, amongst a large assem-Dlage of high mandarins, was waiting at the Paoting Railway station to receive the Imperial train on its arrival from Peking. On account of his father's death all Shéng's official titles had to be returned to the Throne, hence his titles of "Kung-pao," or Junior Guardian of the Heir apparent, and Vice-President of the Board of Works were not his to use nor could he lightly claim the privileges inewnbent thereon, that is to say, kneel in the ranks of the Ministers of the second grade when their Majesties came out of their train. In fact, Sheng (who has since his father's death last December been called " Kung-pao" by courtesy only) properly speaking Was a mere nobody—a simple commoner. Ib appeared, however, that the Empress Dowager was on the alert and her sharp eyes roving along the long lines of officials waiting for her to leave the train to bend their knees quickly singled out Sheng who, more out of courtesy than right had been permitted to take a stand amongst the half-a-dozen or so Vice-Presidents of the Sx Boards present. Probably she
stood by her side in the railway carriage was egged on by her chief eunuch who at any rate her action was characteristically prompt. Her Majesty immediately commanded that Sheng Kung-pao be permitted to stand at the head of the line of Vice-Presidents of Boards, although there were others present much senior him in term of service even if he had still retained his Vice-Presidency of the Board of Works, which now belonged to another man, and this was the signal to the official word that Shéng's former peccadilloes had been pardoned and his restoration to his former and even higher rank was a mere question of time. Previous to the Empress Dowager's command Sheng was haughtily looked down upon by the high mandarins present who merely tolerated hi because he was in charge of the railway traffic and had to be there "to receive orders." But Sheng has now been restored to favour and he has been commanded to remain in Peking a few months longer, at least until the Manchurian matter is somehow settled.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.