Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-23
Chinese Envoy Learns oil
Death of Empress DoWager.
REVELS ARE PUT ASIDE
Entertainment Planned by Country
men Is Abandoned for Mourning.
WILL HURRY TO WASHINGTON
To Remain Over Taft's Inaugural
tion-Tsai Flu, Royal Prince, and
Chung Nun Yew in Party.

SAN FRANCISCO. November 23.-Con-
| veying to the American government the
gratitude of the Chinese people for re-
mittance of a debt amounting to nearly
s14,OOOOOO, Tang Shao VI. a powerful fig
ure in the affairs Of the Chinese empire,
arrived in San Francisco yesterday on
the steamer Mongolia.
With him was Prince Tsai Flu of the
royal family. large retinue attended
them.
| Thrice in the history of the Chinese
| nation has there arisen occasion for the
| appointment of such commission as is
domiciled in the Paramount Hotel. Never
has a foreign power been SO strongly
represented through diplomatic channels
during the period of a crisis of world
| wide Importance.
| In his honor the dragon flag few from
| the maStheads of a score of vessels in
the bay. Guns mounted on the harbor
| front doomed out salute. Thousands
| of his countrymen, silk-robed or silk
| hated, thronged the wharf where his es-
cort landed.
Learns of Tsi-An's Death.
! Not until the Mongolia dropped anchor
| In the harbor did Tang Shao vi and his
staff learn that the Dowager Empress
| of China was dead. In Honolulu the
| cable brought news of the emperor's
| death. but said nothing about the illness
| that threatened the end of the dowager
| empress remarkable career
| 1t was only when Hsu Hing Chen, con-
| sui general at San Francisco, boarded the
| steamer. with score Of cable dispatches
from the far east that the distinguished
visitor was acquainted with the full ex-
| tent of the changes that had occurred
since his departure.
| Even the habitual oriental reserve did
not; suffice to conceal his perturbation
| While dignitaries of the state and the
| federal government awaited his attention
| he scanned message after message, ap-
parently unconscious of their presence.
| In accordance with the edct of mourn
| ing. his entire party will remain secluded
during it's stay of three days in this city.
| The local Chinese colOny'S arrangements
for costly banquets and other forms of
entertainment have been Cancelled.
In other respects. however. the mission
of the special embassy will be fulfilled.
Tang Shao vi, with the fifty members
Of his retinue. will go directly to Wash
ington where he will remain until after
the inauguration Of President Taft.
Accompanying the high commissioner is
Prince Tsai Flu. twenty-one years old.
cousin of the late emperor and himself
the most blue-bleoded representative of
his race to set foot on foreign soil. While
u
embassy. his position is merely honorary.
His Journey abroad, apart from its edu
cational purpose, is intended as an addi-
ttonal recognition of the obligations con-
veyed in Americas remittance of SO large
portion Of the indemnity awarded for
damages sustained during the Boxer out
break.
Other Notables in Party.
Among the other secretaries and at
graduated rank are Yung Kwai. for ten
years past connected with the Chinese le
cation at Washington; Chung Nun Yew,
who has been mentioned as possible
successor to a post high in the diplo-
matte service. and Hsu Shih Yang, mill
tary attache.
AS advance guard of an annual delega
ton of students who are to be educated
In America at the expense of the Chinese
government came seventeen young men,
members. for the most part of patrician
families. who will be entered at the Uni
versity of New York and the University
of George Washington.
Once yesterday did the self-possession
of Tang Shao vi give way. This was
several hours after his arrival. when he
sat- clothed in a magnificent robe of
blue, in one of the twenty-five reserved
apartments in the Paramount.
| He had guardedly spoken of the stu
alton in China and returned non-com-
initial answers to score of questions
relating to the probable results of his
visit to Washington. Finally he was
| asked to define exactly the meaning
| of his unusual position and his princely
| retinue.
| In reply he said:
Believe US. We have no other purpose
| other than TO show the depth of the heart
| felt gratitude that the government of
China entertains toward the United States
| for this fresh demonstration of good
| will"
| At another pointed question regarding
developments which are likely to occur
| in the Chinese attitude toward the
United States on account of the regency,
| he remarked:
| IF matters of grave import are to be
decided I shall doubtless participate in
the deliberations. During my stay ia
this country l outrank the Chinese min
| lister. Some matters will probably be re-
| ferred to me for consideration
Statement by Envoy.
With these declarations and the follow
ing statement Tang Shao vi completed
the sum OF his public utterances yester-
day.
reached us on arrival at Honolulu and
overwhelmed us with sorrow. We hoped
| at first that the press dispatches might
| not be true. But a cable message from
| Picking soon confirmed our worst fears
| 1.-THE loss Of our universally loved and
respected sovereign is nothing short of
| national calamity. The son of Prince
Chun, brother of the late emperor, has
succeeded to the throne, with Prince
Chun himself as regent
THE object of my present mission is to
| convey to the government and the people
of the United States the grateful thanks
Of the government and people Of China
| for RENTING a portion of the Boxer in
| demnity. The generous action on the part
| of the United States in this matter has
evoked an appreciative response through
out the country.
While / am in the United States
shall take the opportunity to visit differ
| ent parts of the country, especially to re-
new acquaintance Of old friends and
places. I spent the days of my boyhood
| in New England, and have not until now.
visited this country since my return to
China In 1881.
| I'm the meantime the United States has