Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-04
Deposed Grand Councillor Pro-
tected by Great Britain.
HE ESCAPES TO TEN TsIN
British and American Ministers De-
termined Upon Protest.
AFFR0Nr TO POWERS BY CHINA
Japan Regards Representations to
Regents Government as
Difficult.

PEKING, January 3-Yuan Shi-Kai.
deposed grand councillor. has succeeded
in making his escape out Of Picking.
He is now in Tientsin.- a treaty port
seventy miles to the southeast, and Is
under the protection Of Great Britain.
Arrangements had been made for Yuan
Shi-Kai's departure for Hainan by way
of the Hankow railway. us private car
was waiting at the station early this
morning.
Following the dismissal from Office Sat-
urday Of Yuan Shi-Kai and the appoint
ment Of Ma. Tung as grand councillor an
edict was issued today appointing LANG
Tun-Yen. customs taotai. to the position
thus made vacant on the foreign board.
Determined to Protest.
The British and American ministers at
the conference held Saturday night at
the British legation reached an agree
ment that the dismissal of Yuan Shi-Kai
should not pass unnoticed.
The American. British. German and
Japanese ministers met again at the
John NJ Jordan, the British minister
joining with Mr.. Rockhill, the American
minister, in submitting an outline of rep
RESERVATIONS which should be made to
the foreign board.
The ministers disagree on the question
as to whether the welfare of foreign in
terests is technically involved by the
regents recent action. They agree that
peace is endangered.
The representatives of Great Britain
the United States and Germany view the
regents action as tantamont to an az
front to the powers. on account OF Yuan
Shi-Kars position abroad. he being rec
ognized as the medium of fair and equable
treatment toward the nations. The dis
senting ministers are Of opinion that UNI
ence would not be justified.
Japan Makes Difficulties.
Japan concurs in the opinion that the
dismissal Is certain to result in interna-
tional injury, but that representations to
China would be difficult. There Is a
marked lack of unanimity among the Dip
lomats in the present situation.
The courts action Of q fortnight ago
in increasing the palace troops and for.
bidding entrance to the palace. even Of
the highest officials, without passes, was
taken as an indication at that time Of
the alarm felt in court circles. 1t Is now
believed that there was fear also of an
anti-dynastic plot.
Today the government intimated its in
tention Of making public the impeaSh-
ment, giving details of Yuan Shi-Kars
alleged intrigue upon which his dismis-
sal was based.
According to reliable information, the
impeachment is framed on charges
against Yuan Shi-Kai in connection with
the coup d'etat of 1898, when the regency
OF the dowager empress was restored and
a reactionary policy inaugurated. The
flight OF Kan Yu-Wei, the reformer, &C.
CURED at this time.
Nothing the Matter With Yuan.
The last minister who saw Yuan Shi-
Kai at the foreign board December 20
states that he was at that time suffering
from no malady. The reason given for
his dismissal Saturday was that he is
afflicted with rheumatism.
The foreign ministers agree that Yuan
Shi-kais restoration IL impossible and
that the action of the government in
eliminating him from official position can
not be recalled.
LANG Tun-Yen's appointment only
serves to increase the feeling Of pessi-
ercised an authority with the viceroys
and governors which was his alone. This
authority. the foreign board no matter
what its composition, cannot now retain.
CONSERVATION among the Chinese sur
passes that felt by the foreign residents.
Many supporters of the former viceroy
are panic stricken.
changes both Yang Shi-Siang, the vice.
roy of Chilli, and Prince Ching, presi-
dent of the board of foreign affairs. will
be removed.
There is keenest interest to the fate
of Prince Tang Shao-Yi's mission to the
United States, as the source of his au-
thority has now been removed.