EX-PREMIER DODOES ARMED

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1486, 8 July 1912, Page 7

EX-PREMIER DODOES ARMED

A DETERMINED INTEBVIBWBB,

By: Telegraph—Press' Asßociation--Oopyritlit

(Reo. July 7, 5.5 p.m.)

' Peking, July 6. , -The ex-Premier, Tang Shao-yi, who recently .fled ffom the capital and refused to'resumo' his duties, 'was to sail for Shanghai when a Radical named Wang hoarded the steamer and covered Tang Shao-yi with two revolvers, demanding Ms reasons for flight. The explanations were ovidently satisfactory, but Wang, determined to.accompany the ex-Premier to Shanghai. As the steamer cast off, however,' Tang Shao-yi eluded Wang and slipped asJioro. '•■

Tang Shao-yl fled to Tienstin last month, bocauso he felt that he had lost the confidence of foreigners and his hold ,on his part}'. In reply to a request by ■the President (Yuan .Shi-kai) that he should come back to his high office, Tang replied,' "If tho President requires me, he had better send a coffin in which to convey me."~•■ There would seem to be ample justification for the belief entertained by Tang ■Shao-yi that the foreigners have ho cmlidence in his ability to manage the finances of the Republic' as he desires to On' a former occasion-Mil he was appointed to a position in China, which gave him control over the Customs, Tang-had to relinquish .-.tho attractive office, because of tho protests of the British Government. Yuan Shi-kai's loyalty to his old colleague, who saw through the recent troublo with him, and during more recent times was his right-hand man in the negotiations between Peking andvthe Republicans at Nanking, was only to be expected.