CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 13

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

C O

[April 1142544

11

SECTION C

*12 MAY 10,

[12232]

(No. 73.) Sir,

No. 1.

Mr. Mar Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received April 11.)

Peking, March 10, 1910. I HAVE the honour to state that I have received a note from the Wai-wu Pu, ,requesting me to inform His Majesty's Government that His Imperial Highness Prince Tsai Tao, a brother of the Prince Regent, head of the general staff and commandant of the Imperial guards, purposes to leave China on the 20th instant on a visit to various countries, in order to investigate into military matters.

His Imperial Highness, who is an inexperienced young man of 23, but pleasant to talk to, called on me yesterday accompanied by Li Ching Mei, brother of the Chinese Minister in London, and two other officials of minor importance. The Prince did not appear to have any decided views as to the nature of the investigations which are to be the official aison d'être of his tour, but he mentioned that, though his mission was primarily military, he would like, when visiting England, to be given an opportunity of inspecting some battle-ships and naval dockyards. I replied that this could easily be managed, and assured His Imperial Highness that His Majesty's Government would do everything in their power to make his visit an agreeable and profitable one, and would place every facility in his way with reference to the special objects of his visit.

I understand from his Excellency Li Ching Mei that His Imperial Highness would probably stay about a week in Japan and ten days in the United States, and would probably sail from the latter country for England on the 12th May. He would, however, ask his brother in London to notify His Majesty's Government of the exact date of the Prince's arrival, and to make the necessary arrangements. The Prince will only stay a week in England, though his visit in Germany will extend to three or four weeks.

I enclose a list of the suite which will accompany him.

It is perhaps hardly necessary for me to say that Prince Tsai T'ao's knowledge of military matters is very restricted, and that his position as the head of the Chinese army is not to be taken to mean that he has any qualifications for the post beyond that of being the Prince Regent's brother. But, although it would be unwise to expect that His Imperial Ilighness's visit to Europe will prove of any practical value to the Chinese army in the near future, it appears to me that these journeys of Princes closely allied to the throne, costly as they are to the Chinese Treasury, and unnecessary as they may seem from the point of view of immediate advantage, are yet bound to bear fruit in time. It is of no small importance to China that the three highest men in the land next to the Emperor should have visited western countries and come into personal contact with western civilisation. However short their stay, the impressions they receive, their practical experience of western manners, of western comfort, and even of western sanitation, are bound to exercise an educative influence over their minds which cannot fail to modify their views, soften their national self-sufficiency, and render then more susceptible to ideas of progress, with consequent benefit to the nation over which they rule.

I have, &c.

W. G. MAX MÜLLER.

Li Ching-mai.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Prince Tsai Tao's Suite.

Directors of Mission,

Ha Han-chang (chief of general staff).

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