New-York tribune., 1896-08-26
III HING CHANG'S MISSION.

One of the most interesting facts connected
with Ii Hung Chang's journey around the world
is that nobody. excepting himself and the Chi
npse Government. knows exactly why he is max
ing ii. His attendance upon the coronation or
the Car was intclligiblc enough. though quite
unprecedented The new relationship between
their empires made il desirable that some special
mark of honor should be paid to Nicholas by
Kwang-Su But that did not make il necessary
for J.. TO go a general visiting tour TO all the
other great capitals and to this country. par
tcularly at time when. because of serious re-
bcllions in various parts Of the Empire. he was
urgently needed at home. Indeed. the latter
performance detracted much from the distinc
ton of the former so that instead of reckoning
his iourneyings merely consequent upon his visit
to Moscow we must deem his presence at the
Cars coronation merely an incident of his mis-
sion around the world.
The letters which he bears from the Son OF
Heaven to the various potenates and Powers
he visits apparently throw no light upon the
purpose of his tour They are couched in only
the most general terms. He is Chinas foremost
diplomat But he has concluded no alliances
and negotiated no treaties. and indeed has made
no serious effort 10 do 50. Russian statesman
saws he is trying to rea1ius, the foreign debt OF
China But he has sought no loans. There was
a general expectation, begoten by an uncom-
monty lively hope that he would he found TO be-
on an imperial shopping tour. and would make
extensive purchases and place some enormous
contracts for guns and ships and what not. But
he has not ordered o dollars worth "Punch
hit off happily this feature of the case the other
day. in a cartoon representing Ii in the British
eho,, with tho shrpVd fra1pSm1n John Rull dill
gently displaying to him his wares while France,
Germany and Russia peeped in at the door say
ing: wonder if he's going TO buy anything
here: We haven't got any orders out Of him."
Well he didn't buy Of John Bull. either. and
there is no room for thinking he will of Jona-
than
What seems most probable is. that he is on n
tour of mere observation He is seeing what the
nations are doing ID finance. in industry ana
in warlike preparations. He is asking all man
ner of shrewd questions. and taking vOlumin0us
notes Whel he gets home be will lay an cx-
haustive report before the Imperial lamen. and
upon II the future policy of the Government will
largely be based. From ii the Government Will
determine whether Goblin or Short is the friend;
to whom 10 turn for needed Loan in what mar
kct TO purchase guns and ships and machinery;
and TO whom 10 grant concessions. II is charac-
toristlc Of the Chinese Government that il never
empowers an envoy 10 settle such things abroad.
bnt reserves that authority for the great Yamens
in the Forbidden City. When IL went 10 Japan
10 negotiate The treaty of peace. il Will he re-
membcred, he had 10 real authority. but had I"
keep in constant communication Win IeRlhe
and submit the treaty t0the powers there. clause
by clause and item by ltem before he could hlm-
self pass upon H.
If this view of his present mission De correct
il follows that every Government and every ma
tiou he visits should for the most obvious ahu