The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11

sided over by an old priest so puckered
and wrinked that he might have been
! mistaken for n relic of the days of Bud
| dha.
| At the time of his recent promotion to
| the rank of ambassador and his transfer
| to Mexico. Mr. Conger was the most In
fluential foreigner in all Picking. He was
dean of the diplomatic corps, the conf
dante of the empress dowager and the
adviser of the foreign office, which trusted
him implicitly, knowing that it was the
policy of our government to maintain
the political entity Of China.
Mrs. Conger was the first foreigner to
gain the friendship of the DowaGer EN-
press, with whom she often visited for
hours at time. 1t was even whispered
about that Mrs. Conger had converted
the little old lady to Christian science,
During his official residence In Picking
Mr.. Corger had the qualification of see
ing the diplomatic corps over which he
presided received for the first time as
representatives of sovereigns equal in
rank to the Chinese Emperor and Mrs.
Conger had the satisfaction of having
entertained at one time eleven princesscs
and several ladies of the court, which
was not only a social triumph, but an
unprecedented departure from the eX-
ciusiveness of the palace circles. When
the Congors departed from Picking the
Emperor decorated the Minister with the
first grade of the third class of the Order
of the Double Dragon-which Congress
will probably not allow him to accept
and Mrs Conger was the recipient of
several imperial gifts, for which she need
not account to any home officials.
New Minister Trained Diplomat.
William Woodville Rockhil our present
Minister, is also the right man in the
right place. He is a Phladelphian, fifty
two years old, who when ii young man
of thirty. entered our oriental service as
second secretary to Picking. He was pro-
noted to secretary of legation year
later, and the following year, 'S6'S7, was
our Charge d'Affairs in Korea. After
that lie made two Journeys of eXplora-
ton In the unknown regions of China,
MONGOLIA and Tibet then returned to
become chief clerk of the State Depart
ment, and then successfully Third and
First Assistant Secretary of State.
From the latter office he was pro-
NOTED to that Of minister to Greece Rou-
mania and Servia, next becoming our
| commissioner to China for the settlement
of the disputes growing out of the Boxer
| troubles. He was our plenipotentiary ut
| the congress OF Picking, where lie signed
| the final protocol which wound the mat
\ ~
| he was director of the bureau of Ameri-
| can republics, He is an accomplished
| Chinese scholar. and having virtually
| grown up in diplomacy, Is Just the sort of
| strenuous man to handle another Boxer
| difficulty MRS. Rockhlll, who was Miss
| Edith II, Perkins, of Litchfleld Conn,
before she married the minister six years
ago, is with him in Picking
| Minister Rockhlll's staff Is headed by
! John Gardner Coolidge, first secretary, a
| son Of Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, the
| wealthy east India merchant of Boston
/ and former president OF the a. Y. & s. #.
| r. r.. who was minister to Franco undcr
| Harrison and later member of tho Joint
! high commission. Besides William Phil
lips also of Massachusetts, the second
| secretary there are nj tho legation two
| Chinese secretaries and two student in
| terpreters, Lieut., Frank Marble u. $.
1 ~, IS now accredited TO the location as
naval attache aud Capt Henry leonard
| of the Marine Corps as military attache
4 Capt Leonard will be remembered MS
one OF the heroes OF the siege of Picking
during tile Boxer troubles,
4 JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS