The Washington herald., 1912-12-09

Curious sldelights on court life In
China, as well as on the workings Of
great statesman's mind, are afforded by
the diary Of the greatest OF modern
Chinese diplomats, Ii Hung Chang the
late viceroy, who Zealously recorded MS
views, Impressions, and deeds day after
day. His stories of his relations with
that remarkable aged woman the DOW
ager Empress OF China, for instance, are
very amusing.
II appears that on one occasion he Of
Tended that despotic sovereign by MS
praise of the Czarina, after his visit TO
Russia. He describes the result as tol-
lows: II have received notihcaton that
l am to forfeit one years pay for a
breach of ceremony at the palace. The
fine itself Is a small matter. but 1 should
like to know IN what respect l offended
Tsu-Hsi."
But quickly the Dowager Empress re-
pented of her harshness, for the same
day, but marked later, there Is an entry
in the diary to the effect that messen-
gers from the throne had come to him
bearing an edlct, comforting upon Ii
Hung Chang the order OF the Golden
Dragon, which, except in very rare and
extraordinary cases, is bestowed upon
Chinese royalty only.
There are some particularly piquant
references to the Gar and the Czarina
of Russia. The latter he described, after
first seeing her in 1897, as ''the eye of
the peacock. When she spoke gracious
things to me and lifted her cup of wine
toward me and smiled, 1 well could re-
member that hers was a compliment to
remember" But, added the great ORR
entail statesman quite philosophically and
practically, even to have a fine CZarina
as wife l would not exchange places
with the ruler of Russia"
AS to the Emperor himself. Ii Hung
Chang wrote that he did not consider
him healthy man. as ne stayed indoors
too much. and worry about the kind Of
life he is compelled to lead keeps him
pale and listless. CQuite corrcCU. He is
a small man to rule SO great an en-
pire. did he mean physically or mental
lyO Il am told that great secret band
exists all over Russia, whose members
find their chief amusement and occupa-
ton in the killing of men high in posi-
tiOns of state"
But when IL comes to that. Ii Hung
Chang himself frequently had been
threatened with assassination. lie speaks
Of it with his usual frankness: while
I was viccrOy and visiting Hankow, sew
eral low fellows tried TO take my life
and once at Tien-tsin a low fellow came
into my courtyard and told the banner
captain in charge that he intended to as
sa ssinate me-. He had long piece OF
wire and said he meant 10 hang me on
my own gate post. | was obliged TO have
his head cut of before he would consent
to stop talking
With the hustling methods or the west
ern world Ii Hung Chang had little sym
pathy. He writes Il find that they rise
-, Ig taste. 10 rise
early is a .oolish practice. especially
among mel: ns state, who so much better
could transa I their affairs at night when
all Is quiet aLd the mind most alert.
During his visit to Germany. Ii Hung
Chang wa Ereatly impressed by two
men-Prince Bismarck and Herr krupp.
Each Of these two men, to his mind.
seemed to be filling the place he was
most fitted to occupy. Krupp in his quiet
way to make big guns, and bismarck
oCcupying a place where he could put
the guns to use The viCeroy was ap-
palled at the German beer Prince BIS
r,.rcl, gave his guest some beer and in
formed him that he wn1ld acquire taste
for Il Il he stayed long enough in Ger
many. whercupOn Ii Hung Chang said:
- did not expect to live many years
Innrcr and il would probably be i'm
p0ssihle for me to learn to like the ma
tional beverage"
Bisuarck's views on England are re-
ferred to the late viCerOy's diary: You
have seen but little OF us in your part
Of the world for Germany, as unit.
il only a new nation. but the time Will
come when the German empire VIII DOM
mate Europe. England, with all her
buster and show. has a hundred weak