The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-10
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ms eou1l.tIsraRsqG;An.opPoRIENITl

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AEGREAT& OPPoRITN1TY. .
IN 1856 came che OF the most dramatic
opportunities in the Viceroys lite. rus
sian aggressions. on the AmurEWere alarm M
ing patriots and the weak Chinese GOV
eminent was'!i in chaos. Lrtwas almost
in despair. - Eats
what shall Isdo?" he. asked one DAY
of Gordon, who, was his guest.
You have $4,000 men at your com
ma nc: z, said Gordon: Take them, march
TO Pekin, expel this swretched Tartar dy-.
nasty and put yourself at the mead Oh, d
new China. / will help you to do It.
It was a great temptation, for the pian
was entirely feasible. Lis men were
European drilled and armed. but eililei
lloyslty or conservatism made MN feJect
the magnificent scheme and devote MINI
self to strengthening the eNlstli1S .iiio '
- When the Chino-Ja uaneSe War was
concluded sLi Hung Chang, who had en-
deayored to ward it off, was first degrad-
ed and deprived of his yellow jacket, then
sent to arrange "a peace with Marquis Ito.
Here too he scored diplomatic laurels.
In 1856, after representing ms country III
Russia at the. Cars coronation, ne mace
a. tour of Europe and the United STATES
where he established a, record for asking
questions. His reception everywhere WIS
royal.
His visit.to Philadelphia is we'll remem-
hered. though The only remained seven
hours. He upset an deliberately planned
public programme by insisting that he be
taken to see Cramps Ship-yard. winch
interested him more than anything else
i,,s.thes city. .& He was the first Chinainan
( cy,tarank to travel in foreign countries loT
pleasure.
The exact attitude assumed oy.Ll toward
the Boxers in their. anti-foreign o'ltrages
number of newspaper: interYieWerS eager
w tried to ascertain with but Indifferent
success. for the clever old diolomatlSt
dismissed them all with glittering Sener-
alitieS and assurances of regret over the
existing situation. which last statements
were DOUBTLESS sincere. Certainly, no
proof was ever offered of his abettns or
approving the Boxers ACTIONS in any
way and Foreigners who felt that he
should have come forward with the pro
posal o. some vigorous measures to put
down the uprising prbably forgot that
I'll knew China and also knew that .5-'a
himself had a head to lose.
SIN pcrsonEI4iZ Hung Chang was nriice-
siy and imposing, towering in his six ieet
of height far above his average unCer-
sized fellow-countryman. His eyes wore
unusually full and intelligent, raund
rather than almond-shaped. and ne
shook hands IN the foreign 1aSnloIl =i1e
was also chivalrous in his way, S:,11e-
times sending his steam yacht fifty miles
to do a service to the legation ladies
tbefore the disturbances of-last summer.
HIS SENSE OF HUMOR.
That he possessed a sense of h!lmor
is shown by several stories, one tolzf III
connection with his first Introduction OF
the telegraph. Posts were con t ant
torn up and burnt and the wires cut ana 10
stolen. At last an offender5swas ;:ausht
red -handed and brought before Ii. es .e
begged for mercy and promised ne:.tf ! Q
repeat the offense.
..Pll see to that sale, Lii. with a sra,se'
3imperturbable smile
i4 some few hours later TINS psfsletlar
fculpit was not in a position to repeat
that or any other offense. and the teie-
,rra nh lines were left undlsturbed
Another 2anecdote 5 Is connected VT "a a
summons to thefcourt of Picking. Dictated
j bv~its5 hostile element. Seeming .ial'ger,
h = took wit him his army of 1000 men.
ar,,ied and armed according to the best
Tsnropean5 system. a force easily capable
az clearing out the whole capital IN a
IIe srin1ly marched his army to tile
( Gates 81 tic itEs and sent aSmessag e8t to
t,,e EInperer. which was, of course. filled
with ali possible Oriental courtesy Tut
which pracricalv amounted TO-. Well.
here.I am. What dozyou want of me-
|. The court sud- enly q scovered that i
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