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Sweden.. Wallenberg, the Swedish Minister, is accredited also to Japan, where he resides nearly all the year round, only coming to Peking for a few weeks in the spring. He belongs to the banking family of Wallenberg, in Stockholm. He is a most charming man socially, but a small negotiation in which I had to assist him in the spring did not give me a great idea of his powers as a diplomatist.
Portugal.--Baron Sendal, the Portuguese Minister, and M. de Brederode, the Portuguese chargé d'affaires, have already been described by Sir John Jordan, in his despatch No. 159 of the 17th April, 1909. Both Sir John and I suffered greatly
great dread of responsibility,' during last winter and spring from M. Brederode's “ which took the form of an insuperable reluctance to send a telegram to his Govern- ment, or address a note to the Wai-wu Pu, unless it had received the imprimatur of the approval of the British Legation. In spite of that he would sometimes confess to me that he had sat up half the night cyphering to his Government an article from the "
Peking Daily News" which contained the usual course abuse of Portugal and everything Portuguese.
Russia.--I have nothing to add to Sir John Jordan's remarks about M. Korostovetz, the Russian Minister, whom I have found a most obliging colleague, straightforward, and willing to impart information. I have reported, in recent despatches, how disgusted M. Korostovetz was with the failure of the policy of conciliation which he had pursued, under instructions, since his arrival in Peking, and he expressed himself very freely on the ingratitude of the Chinese before his departure, on leave,
in June.
Mme. Korostovetz left Peking last autumn, and it is rumoured that she would not return on account of marital differences. Socially, their presence or absence makes no difference in Peking, as they entertain very little except in the way of giving a few very large dinners where, in order to do off as inany persons as possible at a time, the guests are placed so close at table that neighbours have to take it in turn to eat. The whole Russian staff keeps very much to itself, and mingles little in general diplomatic society.
M. Stchékine, who is at present in charge, is an uncouth but undoubtedly very able man.
He was formerly bead of the Far Eastern department in the Russian Foreign Office. He is not on good terms with his chief, and is working for all he is worth to snatch as many laurels as possible during M. Korostovetz's brief
absence.
Japon. Mr. Ijuin, the Japanese Minister, has also been described by Sir John Jordan. I have found Mr. Ijuin a most obliging and helpful colleague, always willing to give advice and information to a degree unusual in a Japanese diplomatist. He certainly exercises the greatest influence of any Minister here, and bis intimacy with the Grand Secretary Na'tung, President of the Wai-wu Pu, further strengthens the obvious advantages that the representative of Japan has over his colleagues. He has lately gone into a large new legation house, and, assisted by Mme. Ijuin and a numerous staff, does his social duties very well, though unfortunately, outside official business it is difficult to have many interests in common with him.
Holland.The Dutch Minister, M. Beelaerts van Blokland, is an amiable man with no striking, characteristics. He has no work to do beyond settling the minor questions which arise over the Chinese living in the Dutch East Indies, and he also takes a certain interest in the conservancy of the Whangpoo, owing to the chief engineer being a Dutclunan. Before coming to Peking as Minister, he was secretary to the States-General at The Hague, and owes his appointment, I understand, to the court influence of his wife, who was a lady-in-waiting.
Brazil.-M. Gonçalves Pereira, the Brazilian Minister, is also accredited to Japan, and has not been in Peking this year.
France.-M. de Margeric, the new French Minister is an old friend of mine, as we were together for nearly six years in Constantinople. He is a delightful man of the world, of considerable experience and of great culture, and it is as pleasant to transact business with him as it is to be a guest in his house. He has charming manners, always does the right thing, and is totally free from affectation or punctiliousness. M. de Margerio is ready at any time to co-operate loyally and
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frankly with his colleagues, and he brings to the discussion of any question the qualities of sound mind and temperate judgment. In the entertainments which he frequently gives he is ably seconded by his wife, who is a sister of Edmond Rostand, and who has brought into the somewhat uniform and commonplace symphony of Peking society a welcome note of originality. M. de Margerie has managed to group round him a delightful staff, and altogether the French Legation is far the most attractive of the foreign legations, and is the centre of social activity in Peking.
Spain.-Spain is certainly most unfortunate in her choice of representatives in Peking. M. de Carcer, who left last year, was socially agreeable and very popular, but there is little doubt that his sudden recall was due to the fact that his Government became aware of the more than lenient attitude which he adopted towards gambling hells and other like resorts opened by Spanish subjects in the various treaty ports. M. de Pastor, his successor, came from Washington last January, and brought with hira an attractive American wife, who, however, could not stand the society of her lord and master for more than a few weeks, when she returned to America. Not one of my colleagues has a good word to say for M. de Pastor, who, while his wife was here, went about a good deal, till his strong partiality to over-indulgence in alcoholic refreshment became generally known. Now he is never seen, but appears to sit at home and drink by himself, and hardly ever goes outside the door of his legation.
The United States of America.-It is difficult as yet to give any definite opinion as to the new American Minister, Mr. Calhoun. He arrived at a time when American interests in China had been subjected to a process of forced hot-house culture, under the immediate superintendence of a triumvirate of three energotic but inexperienced men, representing in order of influence the press, finance, and diplomacy, namely: Mr. Ohl, the correspondent of the "New York Herald," Mr. Straight, the representative of the American financial group, and Mr. Fletcher, the American chargé d'affaires. The immediate result of the new departure in American policy appeared at the time of Mr. Calhoun's arrival to be the indefinite postponement of the construction of the Hankow-Canton and Hankow-Szechuan railways, and the closer association of Russia and Japan for the protection of their interests in Manchuria. Mr. Calhoun's task had not been facilitated by the indiscreet declarations of Mr. Crane and the consequent cancellation of that gentleman's appointment as Minister here. Like Mr. Crane, Mr. Calhoun hails from Chicago, where he practised as a corporation lawyer. He appears to be a quiet, retiring man, with a mind for his own. He is much disappointed with Peking, which is evidently very different from what his imagination painted it, and he has been in poor health since his arrival here, and openly deplores his folly in leaving the comforts of his native city, at the age of 62, for such strange and uncongenial surroundings. He does not understand a word of French, and at the meetings of the diplomatic body he sits next to me in order to have everything translated. He frankly confesses that he understands very little of most of the questions discussed, but is very conscientious and wishes to form his own opinion by his own independent study and observation. He appears to me to be scrupulously honest and straightforward, and, if he recovers his health, ought to prove an agreeable and interesting colleague.
Mrs. Calhoun is, I am given to understand, a literary lady, but she has hitherto appeared very little among her colleagues, principally I suppose on account of Mr. Calhoun's state of health, but she has every intention of doing her duty as a diplomatic hostess.
Italy. The new Italian Minister, M. Barilari, arrived just at the commencement of the hot summer. He is a man of 68, who has spent all his official life at the Foreign Office in Rome, where he occupied a post corresponding to that of chief clerk. The legation here was offered to him under the impression that he would be sure to refuse and could then be retired. To everyone's surprise he accepted. He already regrets the ease and comfort of the Italian capital, and is so loud in his complaints of the disadvantages of Peking that the members of his staff attend at his house with reluctance. His knowledge of French is limited, and he is manifestly very
ill-suited to his post, but fortunately Italian interests in China are of small importance. Mme. Barilari talks French even worse than her husband, and is not likely to prove an addition to the diplomatic society of Peking.
Belgium.-M. Cartier de Marchienne, who was for some time secretary of the Belgian Legation in London, has been appointed Belgian Minister here to
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