63. The Russians took advantage of Hei-lung Chiang being the first place pacified after the Boxer trouble to encroach on Manchuria. The Tartar General Tseng-chi sent Chou-mien, whom the Russians forced to conclude a new Treaty, practically giving Russia full powers in Kuan-tung. The Plenipotentiary Li had also agreed, but Chang and Liu jointly made a vigorous protest, urging the Court not to ratify. After a score of telegrams and Memorials the Russians set the 25th April (1901) as the latest date for signing, after which they would break off relations. They used every possible threat, but he persisted in vigorous protest, and succeeded in preventing ratification, thus saving the three eastern provinces.
64. In 1909, when peace was about to be made after the western tour, and the Court was discussing their Majesties' return, foreigners started saying that, though all the guilty had been punished, there was still an important matter undealt with. If positions remained unaltered after the return to Peking, the Powers would certainly not stop asking till their demand was granted. Thereon he telegraphed secretly to the Government urging oral representation that advantage should be taken of the Court not having returned to vindicate the State by issuing the order as by their Majesties' own will. This proposal was thereafter settled while the Court was still at K'aifong.
74. The 1901 Allied Forces' Peace Protocol, on the Powers' plea that the deepening of the Huangpu would benefit merchant-ships, and with the assent of the Plenipotentiaries, forced China to send officers to set about it in concert with them. Viceroy Liu put off doing so, and in the spring of 1903 Chang took charge. In the face of repeated Imperial urgings, he protested and vigorously argued and never sent anyone. He also engaged other Powers' Consuls to help and then took the lead in proposing that China should finance and execute the dredging without financial aid or interference by other nations—a policy that won.
75. In the summer of 1902 he shared in negotiating the British Commercial Treaty. Of many rectifications and recoveries, the most important was getting them, whose strong demand was for the abolition of li-kin and native customs dues, to agree to the levy of consumption duty. Another still more important clause agreed to surrender extra-territoriality, a subject none had touched on during fifty years of trade.
76. He points out how he had the Wai-wu Pu's idea of not discussing mining overruled as the only safeguard against illicit partnership in mining between Chinese and foreigners. A law was necessary to afford control and prevent the loss of rights, reform old and limit new mining enterprises. The Throne approved and bade him, with Liu, arrange regulations. Lin's death threw the task on his shoulders alone. From the laws and prohibitions of all nations, he selected what was good, his general idea being to safeguard rights, benefit the people's livelihood, and make taxation light. He compiled them in a volume of seventy-four regulations and seventy-two supplementary rules.
80. In view of the awkward and dangerous position of the Shanghae Arsenal, he advocated its removal to Ping-hsiang, a remote site close to coal. Funds were provided; the annual reserve of the old arsenal of 700,000 and the copper mint's yearly profit of 500,000 would have enabled it to be done in five years, but the Board of Revenue's annexation of the funds stopped the scheme for the time. Still, in a crisis, it will be remembered.
82. When he was in Peking in 1903, giving an account of his stewardship, the Russo-Japanese war was imminent, and the Government bade him go and dissuade Japan from the war. He refused and reported the remark of a western envoy that the war would be a good thing for China. The idea was dropped on his view being laid before the Throne. Again, in the spring of 1904, the Southern Trade Superintendent Wei tried to get the high provincial authorities to combine in moving the Northern Trade Superintendent to memorialize that Japan be dissuaded from war. On his way through Tien-tsin, he was asked about the idea and vigorously opposed it. The same winter, when, despite defeats, Russia would not evacuate Manchuria, the new Southern Trade Superintendent suggested mediating along with the Northern Trade Superintendent and Hupei, but his strong disapproval prevented action.
83. It records how Arnhold Karberg and Co.'s proposal to farm the sale of opium throughout China, negotiated through Ching-wei Hsing, had taken form after Peking intriguing, but he refused to help, in spite of the offer of heavy bribes. Twice he telegraphed strong protests, and at last, the Grand Secretary Jung-lu understood the danger and rejected the scheme.
84. It mentions Melchers and Co.'s attempt to follow the Japanese example of using the native city frontage at Nankow and the threat to place a hulk under man-of-war protection. The people were afraid lest their ferry-boats be endangered forever. After he went to Peking in the winter of 1903, he sent an officer to negotiate with the German Envoy Mumm and got the project dropped on the condition that the Osaka Shoshen Kaisha should also move to the Japanese Concession within a certain time. The Envoy had notified the Wai-wu Pu that on the 1st January next, he would have a serious matter to tell them, and they were panic-struck until the receipt of this correspondence filled them with joy.
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85. The Inspector-General Hart started a scheme to increase the land taxation and abolish all trade levies. The Government did not approve but could not stop it, so called for provincial views. He was the only one who strongly refuted it, and got it dropped.
86. The American Jenks' design to control the great matter of China's silver currency could not be refuted by the Court Ministers, and the idea was assented to before Jenks came to Hupei, where, at an interview, Chang silenced him with awkward questions, and then memorialized strongly on his blunders and showed up the danger. The matter was happily successfully blocked.
87. Among the many foreign cases dealt with, whenever there was a question of capital punishment, he tried to save the people's lives, and constantly, in identical mission cases where other provinces executed several, Hupei men went scatheless, and capital penalties agreed to by his predecessors were lightened. From appreciation of his justice, foreigners even do not object.
88. When the Hankow-Canton Railway was sold by the Americans to the Belgian-China Development Company, he was the first to show up the scandal of the Empire. In steadfast isolation, he fought the battle of resumption for ourselves, despite the combined resistance of the two Powers, until the American State Secretary, from respect for his austerity, ended by giving the line back to us.
120. He once told his retainers: "During my twenty-five years as a Provincial Governor, the only comparatively easy time was the two years in Shansi. For the rest, not a day but I am among thorns and brambles. Speaking generally, what I have done has never been what the Government wanted me to do; what I spent was never money the province surely had; whom I employed never served me with joy and real heartiness."