CO129-365 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1910 [1-3] — Page 110

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pressure of this necessity appeared to be so great and

imminent as to be sufficient to overcome even the inertia

and procrastination of China. Finally the death of the

Emperor and Dowager Empress,

P

the ascendancy of His

Excellency Yuan Shi Kai, the patron and friend of Tong

Shao-yi, and the reputation for zeal in reform which

the young Regent bore appeared to add to the possibilities

of effective action.

7.

In these circumstances I was myself

averse to any drastic step pending the return of Tong Shao-

-yi, and the settlement of the proposal made by the

United States of America that a Commission should sit in

Peking to discuss the conditions under which the request

of China to an increase in the Import Duties might be

assented to, the prominent conditions being abolition of

Lekin and Currency Reform. The feasibility of deferring

any action regarding the redundant coin in Hongkong was

increased by the fact that the discount on these subsidiary

coins fell considerably in the latter half of 1908 and the

earlier part of 1909, and the local complaints in con-

-sequence temporarily subsided.

8.

The fall of Yuan Shi-kai,

-

the

abortive result of Tong Shao-yi's mission, the ignoring of

the