Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-07
LIHUNG CHANG DEAD.

IL Ie announced III Ieklu tueI LII
Hung Chang Is dead. Physicians who
visited him at 10 o'clock Tuesday night
found him 10 good spirits. though ex'
trtmely weak as the result OF sitting up
and working in defiance oil their In
structions. When they called 10 the
morning they found him unconscious
and sinking rapidly, his death follow
ing, General Grants of.-quoted re-
mark lhat the only three men he met
10 his trip around the world who i'm
pressed him as truly great were Bis
m ,rck, Gladstone and Ii Hung Chang
.h,fos a clue to the estimation In
which the greatest OF Cbina's statesmen
is held.
Last year, though he wss SO years
old. his native country turned 10 him
and be was summoned from bis highly
important pest as Viceroy OF Canton to
proceed TO Pekin and consult with the
Empress DJwsger as TO the best way
of restoring unhappy China to tue
peace that once prevailed. He had
held, next to the throne, supreme
power 10 China longer than any other
man iD the present century. ln an
ex.rsordinary degree be has impressed
tle force OF his character upon the
people of the West.
ViRor in mind and body were COM
biued 10 LII Hung Chang. He was elk
feet two inches tall, height seldom
reached by Cinnamon, though in gen.
eral they are by no means q small race.
de wore a beard, one OF the few
things which the average Chinaman
envies the Caucasian. Abstemious in
his habits, he had usually preserved
good health through long life hiled
with work that might break down
many younger map.
A conservative when judged by
western standards, Ii was vigorously
progressive, according TO the view Of
the Chinese. He was tolerant toward
missionaries and an ardent believer
in modern methods so long ss they are
compatible with the peculiar character
of Chinese civiliz alton. More than any
other Coinaman he understood the
spirit of the Caucasian peoples.
Lii was born In South China OF a good
family. He studied indefatigably 10
youth aud passed the civil service ex-
aminations with credit. The Tae-ping
rebellion, great upheaval in Cnlns,
which lasted from 1850 to 1864, first
brought him into notable prominence.
In the early sixties he had risen to be
Governor OF the Province Of Kiang-Su,
in which Shanghai Is situated, and 1t
was there that the rebellion reached
one Of its most active phases. DE wae
the directing authority in the move
ments which, with "Chinese" Gordon
as the military leader, resulted 10 the
6ual overthrow OF the Tae-pings
Without detracting In any way iron
the credit due to Gordon ss soldieI
and a man, it Is fair to LII Hung Chang
to ssy that his administrative genius
contributed in marked degree to the
6nsl success of the Imperial cause. de
even took the field himself at one time
and showed soldierly qualities OF high
order.
InIS70Li was promoted to be Viceroy
of Pechili, the metropolitan province
of China. For "a years be remained 10
this position, becoming the guiding
statesman of the realm and holding
Office in the Grand Secretaries OF Pekin
II was a critical time for his country
Foreigners were pressing her on every
side, demanding concessions and seek
log to Introduce radical Innovations
Ii yielded 20 them 10 many things
adopting some Of their ideas as an i'm
proyement, but guarding the veneratet
civilization of China from rude shoce
and upheavsl. A maxim which h'
laid down was: LET us use foreigners
but do not let foreigners use us."
He was quick to see the advantages
| of railroads and go far overcame th'
opposition to them at the palace that h'
was permitted 10 build some OF then
himself. He established telegraph lines
opened aud developed coal mines
founded academies for training military
aud naval Ulcers, constructed srsenali
and fortlfcstions and bought moderi
warships. TIE intense conservation o
the Chinese system prevented him frou
reorganizating the army and navy q
rapidly and successfully as Japan did
but be accomplished great deal in tina
line.
The war with Japan broke his powe
temporarily. The Pekin government ex
pected Lii to win, though II had blocke'
some of mis- most practical plans for oe
velopiug the Empires war forces
When Japan began to gain victories b
was rapidly stripped Of his donors. Hi
jacket of yellow, the royal color, whicl
he had been permitted to wear as
great mark of distinction, was tskel
from him, as we're also his pescoel
feather and other decorations. Finall
be was superseded in all OF his office
and went into temporary retirement.
When China at last saw that Jspa
had WOO, Ii was called out again an
sent to negotiate the treaty Of pesc'
Chine, in her crisis, could not do with
out bin. Thought wounded by.
would.be assassin at the outset OF hi
negotiations, he recovered and acted
China's representative throughout To
framing OF the treaty, the crafty Ma
quis Ito representing Japan. Ines
, two intellects were q good match whe
pitted against each other. Ii, by b
diplomatic fnesse, was enabled to n
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