THE CHINESE DIFFICULTY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 432, 1 November 1875, Page 4

THE CHINESE DIFFICULTY.

With reference to the insult offered to Mr Wade, her Majesty’s Minister at Pekin, the Hong Kong Courier publishes the following letter on the subject - “ Pekin, August 7th, 1875. “On the 3rd instant Mr Wade, H.B.M. Minister, called upon Li Hung Chang, accompanied by Mr Mayers, Chinese Secretary of Legation, The meeting had been arranged the day previous. Mr Wade, in giving notice of his intended call, had requested the Viceroy that he should not be detained at the Yamen gate, as is customary in such cases. On Mr Wade’s arrival at the Yamen, however, he found the central gate closed as usual. He waited some time, the morning being very hot, perhaps ten minutes, and finding the gate still unopened, gave orders to his chair coolies to return home. When he had reached the bridge of boats over the Grand Canal he was overtaken by a large number of the Viceroy’s people, who surrounded him and stopped his chair, and begged him to return. He, however, refused to do so, but sent back his secretary Mr Mayers, with his compliments, and a verbal message that he had called, In the afternoon of the same day, the Viceroy called upon Mr Wade at the British Consulate, and was most profuse in his apology, assuring Mr Wade that it was accidental and unintentional, and that the officials in charge of the gate had been degraded. What passed between Mr Wade and the Viceroy is not known, but there is the best reason to believe that Mr Wade read the Viceroy a lecture on this general subject not likely soon to be forgotten. A repetition of this experience is one of the most unlikely events imaginable.” Writing on September 18th, the Straits Times thus summarises the situation of affairs from the latest Chinese papers :—“ An ultimatum was really handed to Li Hung Chang, the Viceroy of Chihli, for transmission to Pekin by Mr Mayers, Secretary of Legation, on the 3rd or 4th of August, and Mr Mayers proceeded to Pekin on the 10th, Mr Wade was to follow, and if the ultimatum was not accepted within twenty four hours of his arrival, he had positive orders to haul down his flag and leave. Great secrecy is maintained in reference to the ultimatum, but there is a general guess that its main contents are four in number—viz, the execution of Mr Margary’s murderers, the degradation of the local officials, compensation to Mr Margary’s family, and the opening of the trade route between India and Yunnan through Burmah, Prince Hung, Wen-Biang, and Li Hung Chang, three of the most influential members of the Tsungli Yamen or Pekin Foreign Office, are said to be in favor of peace with England and the granting of all her demands. Li Han Chang, the brother of Li Hung Chang, who was appointed Imperial Commissioner to inquire into the circumstances of Mr Margary’s murder, &c, has at last started for Yunnan to fulfil his mission. Great doubts, however, are expressed whether the two British Secretaries of Legation who are to follow fcim on the same mission, will

not find on their arrival that Li Han Chang has been successful in concealing all traces of the crime, and will try to convince them that nobody did it, and that there is nobody to blame. Admiral Kyder and his fleet have proceeded northward flora Shanghai, and there seems to be a general trending of foreign raen-of-war in the China Sea in the same direction.” The North, China Daily News gives full particulars of Mr Wade’s “tiff” with Li (dung Chang, from which it appears that the keeping Mr Wade waiting at the Yarnen was premeditated. The hour for the interview was fixed on the previous day, and Mr Wade expressly requested ho should not be kept waiting. Not. only that, but a “tingchai” was sent to announce his coming ten minutes before his chair reached the Yaraen gate However, Mr Wade again visited the Viceroy on the Bth August, and obtained immediate entrance. On the 14th August, the British Consul in Hankow, Mr Alabaster, called a council of war of residents, owdng to a report he had received that Chinese gunboats were coming to attack the place. In Hong Kong a rumour was current, among the natives that the ultimatum had been rejected. These floating rumours certainly have a warlike look, and the following piece of news, published by the North China Daily News, a paper noted for its early and correct information in political matters, looks more serious still, but we cannot believe that the Pekin Government will be mad enough to provoke a war when they see that Mr Wade is at last in downi ight earnest. No doubt, however, seems to be entertained by the China papers that the Pekin Government has been fooling Mr Wade about the commission of inquiry : “ We have news from Szeehuen which confirms the report from Burmah that the Chinese are assembling troops in Yunnan. The Taotai and the Cheutai had marched from Tali-foo at the head of a large force for Ten-yi chow, on the frontiers of Burmah, with the avowed intention of fighting the English in case they dared to enter Yunnan. There was considerable excitement in consequence in the district,” Another correspondent writes : —“ The connivance of the Government of China in the attack on the Yunnan expedition is now undoubted. It was known here as early as the 10th February that Mr Margary was to be the victim of some outrage.” The China Mail of September 7th writes*— “We hear on the best authority that the negotiations of Her Majesty’s Minister with the Pekin Government, in regard to the Margary murder and the breaking up of Colonel Horace Browne’s expedition, have come to a termination, and it is satisfactory to know that peace will be maintained.”