THE PROPOSED UNİVERSITY FOR HONGKONG.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
(Daily Press, January 9th.,.) His Excellency the GOVERNOR yesterday announced his intention to issue an app al for funds for the endowment of a University in Hongkong, and the fate of the proposal, which has been much discussed in the Colony during the past twelve months, will be determined by the measure of support which the scheme receives from the general public. In the address he delivered at St. Stephen's College yesterday, His Excellency mentioned that the munificent offer made by Mr. H. N. MODY to provide buildings fully adequate for the needs of a University remains open for another six months, and, if at the end of that period an adequate ent dowment fund is in sight, he will commence to erect the buildings. The result of the appeal will be awaited with much interest not only in the Colony but far beyond. We are now-a-days hearing a good deal about universities for China. The Chinese Govern- ment itself has recently been giving evidence of an intention to establish universities on the Western model. Commissioners have been sent from Peking to Tokyo to repor проп the Imperial University of Japan with a view to the establishment of a similar institution in the Chinese capital. It is also announced that next Spring the Chinese Government will be sending Commissioners to Germany to study the higher educational methods there with a view to the reorganis- ation of existing Chinese universities, so far as possible, on the German model. Then we have the German Government establishing a university at Kiaochau. "A High School for Chinese" it is to be called, but the Ger- man · Government's intention is to create first a commercial high school as a basis for
· technical and medical schools and for in- stitutes for political economy, forestry and agriculture to be founded later. The
YUAN SHIH KAL.
We must
[January 18, 1909.
he threw himself, body and soul, into the arms of Russia; as apparently the best method of avenging himself on what he was pleased to consider an ungrateful country. himself to sign what, if he had the power, It is a matter of history that he took on would have been a virtual surrender of the Empire, and that he was only prevented by death from effecting complications which would have made the Emperor merely minion of St. Petersburg. It is unlikely that his sole actuating motive in all this was the pay which there is little doubt that he received regularly, and though covetous- ness was well known to have been one of his strongest impelling motives, it is unlikely that it was the only, or the main motive. This is fortunately now a thing of the past, and the conditions are not likely to return, fact, however, remains, and this no doubt so there is little use in discussing them; the has had considerable effect in forming the Regent's policy, that in these things YUAN SHIR KAI was more or less of a partaker, and though he probably was altogether (in the worst phases at all events) innocent of evil designs, the memory of them to the late EMPEROR's own brother cannot fail to be disagreeable.
Daily Press, January 11th.) That the Regent, Prince CHUN, is both a the schemes of Reform foreshadowed by his strong man, and is determined to carry out brother, the late Emperor, has for some time been manifest, and is made more evident by the quiet way in which he has decided to relieve himself of the services of YUAN SHI- KAL. Dazzled by the fact that to YUAN SHIH-KAI, acting in conjunction with the Yangtse Viceroys, is to be attributed the isolation of the insane Boxer movement within the immediate neighbourhood of Peking and Tientsin; and that this islation of the movement practically saved the Empire, foreigners generally have been disposed to overrate the services of the late minister. In so doing they overlook the fact that it was mainly to YUAN SHI-KAI's betrayal of his master, the late Emperor, that the temporary success of the reactionary party in Peking, which was the true cause: of the Boxer uprising, was entirely due. Of the part played in these transactions by the sometime Viceroy, no one now alive, with perhaps the exception of the "false" eunuch, LI LENYING knows so much as the Regent, and there is little reason to doubt that he has been well advised in his action. sent events are throwing on the story of Looking back, in the new light that pre- Earlier opinions as to the relations between KwWANG SU's life, there is little doubt that YUAN SHI KAI and the Regent were appar- when he took in hand the reform of the Em- ently based upon the report that YUAN had pire he was actuated with the highest advocated the selection of Prince CHUN's motives, and though in his youthful enthus...... appears to have been but little, if any, wise tools for the work, there is equally son as the late Emperor's successor. There iasm he may have employed not over | truth in the report. At any rate, little doubt that his intelligence was equal since the Boxer troubles the actions of to the occasion, and that, had he been per- YUAN SHI KAI have been regarded with mitted to continue, the defects would have suspicion in many quarters. He is now righted of themselves. The grief to the described ав treacherous. Ás
a fact, young Emperor caused by the premature, with to understand YUAN SHI-KAI's connection disclosure of his plans was aggravated by the those questionable transactions inhuman punishment meted out to those remember that the minister who had been mere ly obeying his command, was a protégé of the late LI HUNG CHANG, and in comparing this with the present case and was intimately connected with his we may notice the difference in the treat misdeeds. In September 1888, the late ment meted out to the Ministers concerned, Emperor, for very good cause, dismissed While the Ministers of Kwangu were hunted with ignominy his unfaithful and disloyal out and ignominiously beheaded with every minister; the Palace intrigue in pursuance aggravation of hatred and contempt, we find of which the Emperor was practically de- that the dismissal of YUAN SHIH KAI has posed and imprisoned, and made to underg been accompanied with the kindest regard every indignity possible to an offended and to his feelings, and his past. services are. unscrupulous woman, was the consequence; spoken of with kindness. He is, in fact, the part of the betrayer of the secrets however resented mentally, he has had the and YUAN SHI-KAI was the man who acted given an honourable retirement which, entrusted to him. the Regent should have little confidence in for. The augury is a good one for the future That, knowing all this, grace to attend at Court and return thanks:
the man is little to be wondered at. As
stability of the Government. Rumours, ap- soon as LI had had his revenge, and was parently concocted by foreigners unacquaint- apparently aiming at still higher game, heed with Chinese ways, have been current for fell foul of the EMPRESS DOWAGEE, and was some months as to contemplated rebellion of by her, to whom he felt he had himself, YUAN SHI-KAI, and the danger that this given the power to show her ingratitude, would cause; to the ruling House. One of sent down as Viceroy to the Liang Kwang; the most remarkacle things about the her real object, as Lr himself well knew, Chinese. system of governinent is that, how- being to get rid of him in Peking, where ever bad it may seem in a foreigner's eyes, his presence boded no good. The outbreak the higher officers of State have seldom been of the Boxer émeute, and the insulation of found openly turning rebel, and that only Peking, seemed to Li to be likely to favour when the decay of the ruling House has his interests, so as an act of insubordination forced them to take on their own shoulders practically almost amounting to rebellion, the duties of administration. Even without orders of any sort he hurried back HUNG Chang, absolutely without struples to the North; evidently in order to be on of conscience to deter him, never con- the spot, in case of anything turning up. templated such a step, knowing as he did That he arrived too late to be in at the that every official in the Empire however death was no fault of bis, but was himself discontented, would affect to look solely owing to the fact that the Foreign on it with horror. Even stronger is the. Powers had been too quick for him, and case with YUAN SHI KAI. It is quite true, had taken possession of Peking, while the more than any one else he is responsible for DOWAGER EMPRESS had fled, and had the reorganisation of the Army, so far as it taken the EMPEROR with her, practically as has gone. Possibly individuals would like to Hurg Chang's ambitious projects. what- thar himself that he has no following such & pawn to enable her to make terms. LI take up his cause, but no one knows better ever they were, were, of course, completely as a member of the Imperial family, or even frustrated by the tura events had taken, so a rank outsider who had got temporary
German Government is providing a sum of 600,000 marks (£30,000) for the erection of the school, and an annual appropriation of 150,000 (£7,500) for its maintenance. A subsidy has been promised by the Chinese Government, which has further shown its sympathy with the project by expressing its readiness to support the school by sending scholars to it. Then we are re- minded by a London telegram which appears in another column of that more ambitious scheme which had its origin in the mind of
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Lord WILLIAM CECIL who has succeeded in getting the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge to co-operate in furthering it. But neither of thee schemes, should they all reach maturity, would appeal as strongly to students in South China as a University in Hongkong. A reputation bas been acquired by the Colony in China as an educational centre, and the establishment of a. University here would be certain to attract students from all parts of the Empire, but it should, of course, be primarily intended for the benefit of those who have passed through the schools of the Colony: We trust that the GoVERNOR'S appeal, when it is issued, will meet with a response which will justify a decision to go forward with the scheme, for a university in Hongkong cannot but bring credit and renown to the Colony.
The Viceroys of Liang, Kiang, Hunan and Hupeh, Their Excellencies Tuan Fang and Chen Kwei Leing, have forwarded a memorial -to the Prince Regent on the subject of financial reform. They propose to institute lotteries in those Provinces under careful restrictions, but Prince Regent has not been pleased with the propositions. Chinese Public Opinion.
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