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of the Chinese Government to continue their programme of reform. The Prince Regent thoroughly understood that a continuity of policy was indispensable, and would not be so foolish as to encourage any reaction.
Associating myself with what my American colleague had said, I then conveyed to the Prince the substance of my statement, laying special stress upon the magnitude of our commercial interests and the large part we had recenly taken in the material development of the country, all of which made any violent change a matter of deep
concern to us.
His Excellency replied in much the same strain as he had done to Mr. Rockhill. He said that he recognized that what we had said represented the advice of two Powers with whom China had long been on peculiarly friendly terins, and that the claims of friendship imposed upon the Chinese Government the duty of seeing that the advice was accepted and carried out in the spirit in which it had been given. Yuan Shih-k'ai had been his most valued associate for years, and no one recognized more fully his great merits or more sincerely regretted his loss than he did. The circumstances were such that he could not very well state the reason of what had happened, but he still hoped that Yuan's services would be utilized for the benefit of his country in the not very distant fature. Fortunately, he was still in the prime of life, and his enforced retirement would, he hoped, only be temporary.
Mr. Rockhill and I, in handing our written statements to the Prince, both expressed our appreciation of his Highness' assurances, and said we felt certain they would be warmly welcomed by our Governments, to whom the recent turn of events had caused considerable apprehension.
Liang Tun-yen, whom I saw later in the day, told ine that the Prince had intimated to him his intention of submitting our statements to the Regent at audience on the following morning, and had expressed his belief that they would exercise a salutary effect.
The Canadian missionaries in Honan, who, in common with many other British subjects, owed their lives to Yuan Shih-k'ai during the troubles of 1900, paid their respects to the fallen statesman on his return to his native place. I inclose a letter which I received from Dr. McClure on the subject, together with a copy of my reply thereto.
Yuan's disappearance from public life has caused considerable anxiety at Tien-tsin and in Manchuria, where many of his associates hold high office. Writing from Mukden yesterday, Mr. Willis states :--
"I had an interview with Mr. M. T. Liang a day or two ago. The dismissal of Yuang Shih-k'ai is undoubtedly a severe blow to the high provincial authorities bere; most of them are either his protégés or in great sympathy with him. Liang's opinion seemed to be that there was no immediate idea of making changes here, but it is evident that they feel anything but comfortable."
To us the change means, amongst other things, the revival of all the difficulties connected with the Customs succession, the abandonment of the naval scheme which was the chief object of Tong's mission to England, the indefinite delay of currency and other reforms, and, above all, the removal of the really one strong man in the Central Government whose orders commanded respect in the provinces.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Rockhill.
THE Government of the United States has always been animated by the friendliest feeling for China, and has ever been concerned in its welfare. It has on numerous occasions been able to demonstrate the sincerity of these feelings.
During the last few years it has watched with sympathy and deep interest the initation and gradual development of a policy which should have the most far-reaching and happy results for the Empire, and which should insure its political and economic development and strengthen its ties of friendship with all the nations of the world; it has come to look upon the continuation of this policy as a sure guarantee of peace, stability, and progress.
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The sudden removal from political life at the beginning of the new reign of a statesman intimately associated with the great reforms of recent years has been learnt of by the Government of the United States with serious concern; its confidence has been shaken in the intentions of the new Government, and apprehension felt lest it should not pursue the policy so happily initiated in the preceding reign, and in which the United States see such vast benefit for China.
The Government of the United States would be much gratified to learn that its apprehension is ill-founded, and that it is the intention of the Government of the Regency to continue the policy which has heretofore elicited its friendly support and hearty praise.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Memorandum by Sir J. Jordan,
HIS Majesty's Government have always been animated with feelings of sincere friendship for China, and at no time in the history of their relations have those feelings been more clearly demonstrated than during the past few years.
China had entered upon a course of reform which had commanded the respect and admiration of the whole civilized world. Great Britain, as a nation which has vast commercial relations with China, watched this movement with the liveliest sympathy and interest, and while co-operating cordially in measures of moral improvement, lent her financial assistance in the material development of the country. She had looked forward with confidence to the uninterrupted political and economic development of the Empire under the present enlightened régime,
His Majesty's Government have therefore learnt with grave apprehension of the removal from office of his Excellency Yuan Shib-k'ai, the statesman whose name has been most closely associated with the cause of progress in recent years. They are deeply concerned at the recent turn of events, and would be relieved to learn that the change which has taken place does not imply any reversal of policy, and that it is still the intention of the Imperial Government to carry to completion the beneficent measures which were so happily inaugurated during the last few years of the previous reign.
Sir,
Peking, January 15, 1909.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Dr. McClure to Sir J. Jordan.
The Canadian Presbyterian Mission, Weihuifu, Honan, January 11, 1909.
YOU may already know that his Excellency Yuan Shil-kai arrived in Weihnífu last Wednesday, and is at present residing in a house belonging to himself here.
Needless to say we were much pained to hear of his enforced retirement from his State duties, and tried to show our sympathy with him by sending our cards to his Excellency. Next day his Excellency sent his return cards, and a little later in the day his physician, Dr. Wang, called to express his Excellency's appreciation of our sending cards to him.
Dr. Wang, as you may know, is a graduate of the Pei Yang Medical School, Tien-tsin, and speaks English quite fluently.
Yesterday Dr. Wang came to our mission compound again, and in a private interview asked me to write you and express to you his Excellency's heartfelt apprecia- tion of your sympathy with him in his present trying circumstances, and to thank you for all your kindness to him. I gladly promised to do this, and hence this letter. The Doctor explained that in the circumstances it was not admissible for his Excellency to write to you himself.
We
I also offered to do anything in my power to make his stay in Weihuifu more tolerable. My family and myself owe to him the preservation of our lives in 1900. escaped without the least mishap through his province in that trying time.
The Doctor says his Excellency is in good health, but remains in his room nearly all the time. I advised that he should try to persuade him to take some exercise in the
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