Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-24
ON EQUAL TERMS.
Ministers So Received by Chin
csc Emperor for First Time.
His Majesty Looks Weaker and More
Childish Than When Last Seen.
British Minister Suggests That China Should
Start Toward Civilization.

Pekin, Jan. 23.-The ministers OF
the foreign powers here have attained
the goal which has been their ain
since intercourse between China and
the powers began. They have beer
received as representatives of sover-
eigns equal in rank to the Chinese EN-
pc-or.
The audiences. yesterday. between
the Emperor and the ministers wer.
held in the inncrmost large half of tbs
Forbidden City. The Emperor sat up
on Il dias behind table. There wer,
four princes at the back of his chair
and a dozen officials on each side. The
Dowager Empress was concealed by q
screen. according to the stories of the
attendants and remained invisible
The audience chamber was furnished
ornamentally in contrast with the din
gy rooms which served for these au-
diences under the old regime. The
secretaries translated the addresses OF
the ministers, copies of which were
handed to the Emperor. The replies
to these addresses were delivered by
Prince Ching. The Emperor was silent
throughout the audience and remained
stolid and impressive. Formerly the
Emperor replied to the ministers in
Manchu and the princess interpreted
what he said. Today, the Emperor ap-
peared as an automaton and the sec
retaries Of the foreign ministers who
were present report that he looked
weaker, less intellectual and more
childish than prior to the siege of the
legations.
Sir Ernest Satow, the British repre-
resentative. made the following ad-
dress: My august sovereign has
charged me to express to Your Ma
jesty his sincere desire to see the in
dependence and the integrity of the
Chinese empire maintained intact and
that the prosperity and happiness of
the Chinese people may be FASTENED
by the removal of obstacles to the free
exchange of commodities. by the ex-
tension of manufactures and by the
utilization of the resources of the soil.
THE wonderful improvements in the
means of communication between diff
ferent parts of the world through the
development of steam navigation, rail-
ways and telegraphs has brought all
countries into much closer relations
than was possible in former times.
Thus the nations of the world are en-
abled to profit by the lessons to be
learned from each other in the art of
government. in methods of education,
in the administration of justice and
the application of the public wealth to
the advantage of the whole people.
IF. under the enlightened rule of
Your Majesty, the barriers which in
the past hindered the free and mutual
iy advantageous intercourse of China
with the rest of the world be COM
pletely removed and her domestic in
stitutions wisely regulated, it is GER
tain that China. advancing along the
path of progress will attain to height
Of prosperity unknown in the past
The ministers of the foreign powers
entered the Forbidden City at the main
gate. leaving their military escorts
outside. At the second gate they en-
tered yellow chairs. like those fur
nished for the princes and secretaries.
They walked through the inner courts
OF the Forbidden City. and their COR
tege retired from the city by the east
gate.