AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE

On the death of Prince Kung on May 29, 1898, Prince Ching resumed full control of the Foreign Office. À few weeks later, on July 4, he signed the Convention by which Wei-hai-wei was leased to Great Britain “for so long a period as Port Arthur remain in the occupation of Russia.” Events now moved quickly. The coup d'État of September, 1898, by which the Emperor was relegated to a position of tutelage, the unrest of 1899, and the saummoning to Peking of Tung Fu hsiang’s undisciplined hordes were followed by the Boxer outbreak of 1900, which could have been averted had there been a less irresolute Minister at the head of the Tsung-li Yamen. During the Boxer rebellion and the siege of the Legations, Prince Ching remained in Peking. The despatches addressed to the beleaguered Legations signed “Prince Ching and others”? were subsequently published. It is impossible to believe him innocent of complicity in this crime against humanity.

The foreign troops entered Peking on August 14, 1900. The following morning, Prince Ching left with the Empress Dowager on her flight to Singan-fu, but three days later at Huai-lai hsien he was ordered by his Imperial mistress to return to Peking and make peace with the foreigners. With guilty conscience he timidly re-entered Peking, Sir Robert Hart, it is understood, having given him an explicit assurance that his person would be sacred. In the peace negotiations which followed, and which were finally concluded in the Protocol of September 7, 1901, he was associated with Li Hung-chang as the represen-

tative of China against the Powers.

PRESIDENT OF THE War Wu Pu.

By the terms of the Protocol, the old Tsung-li Yamen was reconstructed in accordance with a scheme prepared on behalf of the other Plenipotentiaries by Mr. Rockhill, the present American Ambassador at St. Petersburg, who was then the Special Envoy of the United States to China, and the Japanese Envoy, now the Foreign Secretary, Marquis Komura. À new Ministry, called the Wai Wu Pu, was created, consisting of a President, two Assistant Presidents, and two Vice-Presidents. The post of President was given to Prince Ching, and to this post he has since clung. On April 43 1903, on the death of Jung Lu, he rose to increased power, and was made President of the Grand

Council, the highest post in the Empire. He also succeeded Jung Lu in the lucrative post of Custodian of the Imperial Mausolea. He is still President of the Grand Council.

Every position of dignity that could be given to an official has been thrust upon him. He has been the Supervisor-in-Chief of Naval Reorganization—the present deplorable condition of the Chinese Navy bears witness to his incapacity. He has been Comptroller-General of the Army Board—its success in large measure is due to his abstention from any duties connected with it.

As President of the Wai Wu Pu he has systematically evaded his duties. Ministers of powerful foreign States have been treated by him in a way that would not be tolerated in any other country under heaven, for representatives of Great Powers respectfully crave audience with this corrupt old mandarin to discuss questions that he has contemptuously declined to treat at the Foreign Office. He has not been in the Foreign Office, although he is Foreign Minister, six times in the last six years. He grants rare audiences to the Foreign Ministers

in his own residence. Royalty itself could hardly be more exclusive,

His PRIVATE LIFE AND CHARACTER.

His Palace in Peking, in the northern part of the city, outside the Imperial City, has been the place of pilgrimage of expectant officials for a generation past. “His front door is a market place” is the common saying among the Chinese. Every official who enters the precincts of his Palace has to pay toll to the gate-man.

For years the Prince has stood for all that is most evil in Chinese officialdom, yet to an exceptional degree he enjoyed the confidence of the Empress Dowager, who showered honours upon him unceasingly. His record is always associated with disaster. No constructive statesman, no masterful patriot, he has lived his 73 years with no act of glory, attached to his name. Censors have vainly impeached him; the Press never mentions his name but in execration, but he survives it all, and is daily more powerful. Polygamous to a degree unusual even among Chinese, he has had a large family, and by judicious marriages he is related to an extraordinary number of the highest Princes and officials in the Empire. His eldest son, who is to be Chinese Ambassador at the Coronation of King George V., is married to the daughter of En Shou, a Manchu, the Governor of Shensi Province. Another son is married to the daughter of the Governor of Shantung, Sun Pao-chi, a Chinese, the first instance in history of a Manchu Prince marrying the daughter of a Chinese. One of his daughters married the eldest son of Yulu, the notorious Viceroy of the Metropolitan Province during the Boxer Rebellion. When Tien-tsin was bombarded by the foreign troops in 1900, the son committed suicide with his

father. His widow was at that time in Peking. She was the favourite lady-in-

waiting of the late Empress Dowager, and accompanied her in her flight to Singan-fu, returned with her to Peking, and remained with her till her death. She is still the most favoured lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court, being now attached to the present Empress Dowager. Through another daughter his family is closely inter-married with the family of Prince Su, President of the Ministry of the Interior; another daughter is married to Prince Na, one of the highest of the Mongol Princes, a chief of the Khalka Mongols; and still another is married to the Mongol Prince Potisu, Minister of the Presence, who was

specially detached to accompany the Dalai Lama to Peking.

PERING, May 8.

The opium agreement was signed to-day by Sir John Jordan and the Wai-wu-pu. The following is a careful précis: —

The British Government, recognizing the sincerity of the Chinese Government and its pronounced success in diminishing the production of opium in China during the last three years, agrees to continue the arrangement made in 1907 for the unexpired period of seven years under the following conditions : —

Article I.—China shall diminish annually during the next seven years the production of native opium in the same proportion by which the annual export from India is diminished.

Article IL.—China having adopted a rigorous policy for prohibiting the production, transport, and smoking of native opium, the British Government agrees that the export of opium from India shall cease in less than seven years if proof is given that the production of native opium has completely ceased.

Article Il.—The British Government agrees that Indian opium shall not be conveyed to any province of China which has effectively suppressed the cultivation and import of native opium. It is understood, however, that the closing of the ports of Canton and Shanghai to the import of Indian opium shall only take effect as a final step for the completion of the above measure.

Article IV.—During the period of the agreement the British Government is permitted to obtain continuous evidence of the diminution of cultivation by local inquiries conducted by British officials.

Article V.—China may despatch an official to India to watch the opium sales and the packing of opium, but without any power of interference.

Article VI—The British Government consents to the increase of the present duty to 350 taels per chest, the increase taking effect simultaneously with the imposition of an equivalent excise tax on native opium.

Article VIL—So long as the additional article of the Chifu agreement is in force, China will withdraw all restrictions now placed on the wholesale trade in Indian opium in the provinces. The foresoing articles shall not derogate from the force of laws published, or hereafter to be published, by China to

suppress the smoking of opium and to regulate the retail trade.

Article VIIL—During 1911 the Indian Government will issue export perits for 30,600 chests, progressively reducing the number until the extinction of the export trade in 4917. Each chest so certificated may be imported into any Treaty port in China.

Article IX.—This agreement may be revised at any time by mutual consent.

Article X.—The agreement comes into force on the date on which it is signed.