The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-07

Answer I'm English)
General Sir Hope Grant.
Mandarins-What?
Answer Gin English)-Lieutenant-
General Sir Hope Grant.
Mandarins-Say something we can
understand.
Answer am obliged to use English
terms, as you will not let me give you
these in Chinese.
They here attempted to write down,
in Chinese sounds, "Lieutenant-General
Sir Hope Grant" but not succeeding.
they asked the name of another head
man. Answer lin English), Ambassa-
dor Extraordinary, the Earl of Elgin,
Finding 1t impossible to write this down
In English, they told me I might revert
to Chinese names and titles, and | then
gave them those of the Ambassador ana
the commanders in-chiefs.
But the assumption by Prince Kung
of an entirely different attitude soon
modified the supercilious zeal of the
mandarinate; and the example of the
more or less enlightened Ministry of the
new Tsung-li-Yamen quickly spread to
other departments of the Government.
The new Foreign Office began to show
speedy growth, until it now counts reg
ularly nine or ten Ministers, and as
many under secretaries or heads of de-
partments. Under each of these chiefs
of departments are numerous assist
ants, not to mention scores eof clerks
and copyists, who are not in the line OF
promotion. 1t would not be rash as
serton to say that the Tsung-li-Yamen
holds within it's walls the most enlight-
ened and most progressive class. man
dRins and clerks. to be found, not
merely in Picking, but throughout the
whole Middle Kingdom. In the first
place the mere fact of being a candidate
fer entry into this branch of the
Chinese public service is sufficient to
prove the possession Of qualities the
very reverse of timidlty and narrow
mindedness.
ut is dangerous to have anything to
do with foreign affairs" is an express
ion one often hears on the lips Of n
young scholar of the second or third
degree who seeks to enter Government
service as apprentice. Perhaps because
of this belief In It's danger or disagree
ableness promotion comes more quickly
in this department than in the army,
the navy, the customs or any of the
six boards. In ten or twelve years the
scholar finds himself drafted off as pre-
feet or tactai of some distant province.
Or he may be dispatched to one of the
various legations as secretary there to
/ be promoted to a chargeship or min
istership, as his merits or influence en-
LII - r 70.
Feng Luh, who has lately blossomed
forth as Sir Chin Chen 10 Feng Luh,
he going through the prescribed course
at the Tsung- -Yamen before attract
ing the attention of the great Ii Hung
Chang, who, on his tour through
Europe. attached him to his person as
secretary.
1t has been surmised. and certainly
not without reason, that the establish
ment of the Tsung-li- Yamen was due
to a desire on the part of Prince Kung
and his associates to impede in formal
fashion rather than to expedite foreign
business. Foreign Powers in the early
years of the Yamen were inclined to be
little dictatorial, and it was a COM
mon saying among the mandarins,
We'll what have France and England
ordered China to do next?''
The motto of the Yamen has been,
eco slowly" The members have been
made to feel that they stood between
Europe and China. At first their ig-
norance was so excessive that it rem
dered them cautious in executing even
the slightest formalitles. fearful that
the foreigners would overreach them.
Perhaps not least of the singularities
of Chinese Government is the way the
Tsung IL Yamen recruits ts member
ship. as explained by Cheng Lin, one of
the mandarins As an expedient for
"averting external opposition by sub
shutting internal friction" it deserves
celebrity.
you know" cnce said this member
of the Yamen, that the plans of the
department sometimes go down before
the force of outside antagonism. A
clever censor or powerful viceroy gets
the ear of the Emperor, who forthwith
squashes cur wisest schemes, In such
a case Prince Kung has a way of his
own to deal with the difficulty He
memoralizes the Throne to give his
opponent a chair in this council for for
eign affairs. The Prince knows that
once here, he will not be slow to find
out that His Highnesss policy is the
only possible way of getting along with
foreign nations. For that reason. and
no other, were Mao and Shen brought
into this Yamen" OF the two men
named, the former rose from a vice
presidency in the censorate to be pres
ident Of the Board of Civil Office: the
latter from the governorship of Shan
81 rose to be Grand Secretary with the
title of Chung-Tang. After their en-
trance into the Tsung- Yamen it was,
of course, necessary to impart to them
a little elementary instruction In for
eign relations, beginning with geogra-
ply. Geography is not the strong point
of the members of the Tsung IL Yamen
indeed. was their weakest point until
very recently. A very little of it went
a long way. On account of his knowl-
edge in this direction, the Ex-Governor
of Fu-Kien, Seu-K iyu, was created
Minister of the Yamen. 1t appeared
that he had compiled text book, in
which the statement Is made that
Rhode Island is remarkable for hav-
ing a brazen Colossus bestride its har-
Dor" Another desired to know. before