The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-05-10
IL nuNo cnANo.s MISSION
Expected 20 Strengthen Russia'a lnnu-
oncc and Prestige In China.


Expected TO Strengthen Russla's Innu-
oncc and Prestige In China.
Shanghai Cor n. Y. Herald. March G
II In by this time well.known TO read
era OF the Herald that China viii be
represented at the cIara coronation cerc-
monies on May y by the ChlnamAn
whose name In best known 10 outsiders.
II Hung Chang. senior tutor 20 the heir
apparent Though there y. unfortunately.
no heir apparent yet in Pcklng). arnlor
grand secretary OF state. minister super
intendent for the northern ports and
earl OF tho tlrst rank. TO give him his
correct oiiicial Titles and his proper place
In tho mandhriRn hierarchy He has al
ready left Pcking and by this time ought
to be In Ttentsin. where special steamer
In waiting 10 bring him here. lie is
expected 10 arrive hcrr next week. and
viii embark on March y on the Mes-
nagcrics steamer Ernest Simons, which
II 10 carry him TO aiarscllies, whence
he VIII travel by rail TO Moscow,
Ills suite consists OF about thirty pco-
pie. an assistant envoy. Phao Yu-lln. ex-
governor OF Formosa his adopted son.
the no-callcd Lord" IL. ex-mlnister at
Tokyo l.ln-fong, eN.attuche nj the
Washing ton legation. Ma kicn-Chong, n
Tartar. who took Leading part In the
abortlvc Mlt-KlrurtH deal OF 1877. and
who was intimately associated with the
dcfunet great American house OF Russell
4 Co. who let poor Ma In for nearly a
cool million when II broke nearly four
years ago
IA's programme Is to spend about three
months In the land OF the cznr, and then
visit Vienna. Berlin, Paris. London. rc-
turning In the fall via the United states
Hc viii viait New York. Washington,
Boston. Philadelphia, Chicago and San
Francisco. and already instructions have
been sent to the Chinese representatives
In all the cities named TO make prepara-
tlons for his visit III IN the FIRST chi
nose official OF hrst class rank ever to
go ahroadt-that ls, voluntarily II Is
true that the imperial commissioner.
Yela, who nifty years ago held an almost
corresponding rank, travelled us far as
India, but he did 30 as prisoner on
board British warship. which carried
him ~ n captive. for his trcachery at
Canton, TO Calcutta, where he died In
Durancc Further. II IL true that Ii
has been abroad before. but that was
only last year, and as far as Shlmono-
sekl, the nearest point OF Japan, which
ho went to for the purpose OF suing for
peace,
NATURE OF IPs MISSION.
His present mission IL OF very dif-
ferent character, though II IL doubtless
largely the outcome OF the sequel TO his
former travels abroad, II certainly is
the result OF his successful ;,olcy OF call
inp a tho ugalatnuHn ~ RuaaIn N awnal
tho Japanese. ana buying OF me enemy
at the cost OF tying up the Son OF IIeav-
en- hopelessly TO the Little Father OF all
tho Russins, ostenslbly measure OF In
ternatlonal courtesy to attend the glo-
rlous crownlng OF the young Car, his
mission IL In reality intended TO put tho
finishing touches upon the new and
strange union which has been effected
between the Oldest and newest Asiatic
empires.
| shall be very much surprised II the
outcome OF his visit to Petersburg and
Moscow does not raise Russlas position
In China to stlll greater heights. While
the Port Arthur treaty that startled the
world few months ago may have no
actual existenc upon paper. as these fate
making instruments are rarely commit
ted to writing until all the preilminaries
are In order and the seals of tho con-
tracing parties Gun bo safely affixed
without bringing In the protests Of med
ding outsiders. l am perfectly certain
that there was very much more than a
germ OF truth, and In fact a very solid
foundation for these rumors. Port Ar
thur may not have been the point Sc
lected, but that Russia means TO obtain
permanent naval base In North China
is now admitted even by Russia herself,
Kynochan Bay, on Shandtung, about l6C
miles from Wel-Hai.Wel, on the Yellow
Sea, has since been constantly used by
Russian war ships as n naval station,
and the country around has been posted
with imperial proclamatlons from Peklr