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There now remained only one more ceremony, perhaps the most delicate and significant of all. In the ball, which in past centuries had witnessed the most brilliant functions of the Manchu Court, the President of the Republic received the congratu- lations of the representative of the ex-Imperial family. "Pulun" as he was styled in the official "*
Prince Pu Lan, or simple of a general, read a letter from the Ta Ch'ing Emperor, conferring on the new republic the blessing of the dethroned dynasty.
Gazette," attired in the full-dress uniform
The President was afterwards carried to the top of the Tienanmen, where were gathered together the members of the foreign legations, the chief Chinese officials, and the representatives of the foreign press. Conspicuous among the assembly was the once redoubtable General Chiang Kuei-ti, now attired in the new blue uniform of Yuan's military staff. From this favourable position the President reviewed some 8,000 troops, including battalions of the Imperial Guard, the President's guards, and the Peking garrison, three batteries of artillery, and a squadron of cavalry, who marched past to the air of the new Chinese National Anthem played by three military bands.
In the evening a reception was given in the new Wai-chiao Pu building to the Diplomatic Body, which was attended by almost the entire foreign community of l'eking.
To-day his Excellency gave a State luncheon to the heads of missions in the palace of the late Empress Dowager. This entertainment was followed by a garden party in the grounds of the palace, which was attended by the members of the foreign legations and by the principal members of the officia! and foreign community.
It has since transpired that the ceremony of inauguration was nearly marred by disaster. Major-General Chen Chou-yin, the chief of the Peking Detective Service, had been suborned by the enemies of Yuan Shih-kai, and, armed with small bombs, iutended to blow to pieces the President and all his entourage. If he had been able to carry out his purpose at the moment of the taking of the oath, the members of the Diplomatic Body would have been included in the catastrophe.
Fortunately the General's manner on the previous day in making difficulties over the place assigned to him at the ceremony aroused suspicion, and secret enquiries instituted at his residence produced ample evidence of his guilt. He was accordingly handed over to the court-martial, by whom he was sentenced to death. The execution was carried out the day after the inauguration,
I have, &c.
B. ALSTON.
Enclosure 1 in No. 153.
Inaugural Address of President, October 10, 1913.
I, THOUGH lacking in ability, have for a generation taken a humble part in public life and have ever maintained a moderate policy. It has been my conviction that the fundamental principle of governance consists in a clearly defined system of administration and in the strengthening of cardinal principles of morality prior to taking occasion by the hand in promoting the progress of the masses. For this cause I have aimed gradually at introducing such reforms as would make for public enlightenment: at the same time, I have preferred conservative to extreme methods for the reasons that the fate of this State and people must not be staked on a single hazard of the dice and that immemorial traditions and precepts must not be lightly swept into oblivion.
Four years ago I retired to my estate and in the occupations of husbandry severed all connection with public life. The ambition of my career to save the country had vanished like a passing cloud rack or an eddy of smoke. But upon the outbreak at Wu Ch'ang I was forced by circumstances to bear the brunt of the storm and owing to alarm lest ruin should overtake my country and fellow-citizens I sought a way to
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