The difficulty in obtaining the publication of an Imperial edict in the _Pekin Gazette_--Temporising--An important and stormy meeting at the Yamên--Absence of the Russian Minister--Baron von Ketteler’s accusations and merriment of the Yamên Ministers--Excuses--An international naval demonstration deemed necessary--Yu H’sien’s appointment--A flat refusal.

Lord Salisbury, echoing Sir Claude MacDonald’s information, duly informed Sir Chihchen Lofengluh, in answer to a communication from him, that the settlement of the Brooks case could not be considered as wholly satisfactory.

The representations made to the Yamên on January 27 by Sir Claude, as well as by the American, French, German, and Italian Ministers, asking for a decree specifically denouncing the anti-Christian societies in Shantung and Chili, received at first no answer, but upon a further demand on February 21, the Legations concerned received a note from the Yamên stating that a decree had been issued ordering the Governors of the two provinces to put an end to the disturbances.

Sir Claude and the other four Ministers further insisted that the decree must be published in the _Pekin Gazette_, and that it must not only suppress the Ih-hwo-Ch’uan Society, but also the Big Sword Society, a demand which the Yamên did not seem at all willing to satisfy. They, as usual, temporised, but eventually framed the proclamation of the Governor-General of Chili, the terms of which strictly prohibited the Boxer movement. It said, among other things: “The converts and the ordinary people are all the subjects of the throne, and are regarded by the Government with impartial benevolence. No distinction is made between them. Should they have lawsuits they must bow to the judgments of the officials. The ordinary people must not give way to rage, and by violent acts create feuds and trouble. The converts, on the other hand, must not stir up strife and oppress the people, or incite the missionaries to screen them and help them to obtain the upper hand.

[Sidenote: HOODWINKING THE POPULACE]

“Those so-styled professors who practise boxing, and play with clubs, and teach people their arts, those also who learn from these men, and those who march about and parade the villages and marts, flourishing tridents, and playing with sticks, hoodwinking the populace to make a profit for themselves, are strictly forbidden to carry on such practices. Should any disobey, on arrest the principals will receive a hundred blows with a heavy bamboo and be banished to a distance of a thousand miles. The pupils will receive the same beating and be banished to another province for three years, and on expiration of that period and return to their native place be subjected to strict surveillance.

“Should any inn, temple, or house harbour these people without report to the officials, or should the police and others not search them out and arrest them, the delinquents will be sentenced to eighty blows with the heavy bamboo for improper conduct in the higher degree.”

Sir Claude now very properly pressed to have this decree published in the _Pekin Gazette_, and eventually a meeting took place on March 2 at the Yamên, where Prince Ch’ang Wang, Wen-Shao, Chao Shu-ch’iao, Hsu-Jung-I, Hsu Ching-ch’eng, Wu T’ing-fen, Knei-Ch’un, and Lien Yuan received Sir Claude MacDonald, accompanied by Mr. Ker and Mr. Fulford, Mr. Conger (United States Minister), with Mr. Cheshire, Baron von Ketteler (German Minister), with Baron von der Goltz; Marquis Salvago (Italian Minister), with Dr. Merklinghaus, Baron d’Anthouard (French chargé d’affaires), with M. Morisse.

It will be noted that the Russian Minister was not represented.

Sir Claude recapitulated the circumstances regarding the two secret societies, and the Imperial decree published on January 11, which had spread the impression that the Throne recognised the Ih-hwo-Ch’uan and the Ta Tao Hwo, and stated that the Representatives of the Powers were present further to request the publication of a decree suppressing by name the two societies in the _Pekin Gazette_. Nothing short of this would satisfy them.

Baron von Ketteler pointed out that in the decree already communicated to the Representatives, the omission of the Ta Tao Hwo (society) had been made, and that the head of the society was then in Pekin, where he had received a special mark of favour from the Throne, instead of being sent, as he should have been, to the Board of Punishments. This man was the ex-Governor of Shantung, Yu H’sien, whom, with his society, the Baron again denounced.

[Sidenote: UNDISGUISED MERRIMENT]

This statement was received with “undisguised merriment” by the Prince and Ministers, who nevertheless had to admit that Yu H’sien was to blame for not suppressing the disturbances. He was further accused of inspiring the original edict that had caused so much trouble, an idea which the Yamên pronounced entirely erroneous.

Explanations and excuses were attempted by the Yamên in order to evade the publication of the further decree. This was probably to “save their face”--an ever-important question with Celestials.

As a matter of fact, they barefacedly declared that the Yamên’s memorial _did_ mention the Ta Tao Hwo (Big Sword Society), for this had now amalgamated with the Ih-hwo-ch’uan, and therefore was included in the denunciation of the latter society!

Baron d’Anthouard complained that no protection was afforded to missionaries in Chili and Shantung, and said that he now wanted deeds and not mere words to reassure him. The Yamên, as usual, said they would consider the matter and reply. Identical notes were handed in by all the Representatives present.

The Boxers in the meantime were fast and openly recruiting and drilling in both disturbed provinces, and even in the neighbourhood of Tientsin and Pekin. Of this Sir Claude was fully aware, and, alive to the sense of danger, recommended to his Government an international naval demonstration in the waters of North China. He watched with evident concern the peculiar attitude of the Chinese Government--who seemed to take no notice whatever of the representations and threats made. In fact, a deliberate snub from the Chinese Government had to be supported in the appointment of Yu-H’sien as Governor of Shansi.

“Altogether,” pointed out Sir Claude MacDonald to Lord Salisbury on March 16, “Yu’s appointment to even so important a post cannot fail to be regarded as showing an extraordinary lack of consideration on the part of the Chinese Government for the opinions and representations of foreign Powers.”

The Yamên at this point seem to have taken a more determined course of aggression and bluff towards the foreign Ministers, mixed, of course, with the customary hypocrisy and falsehood. They flatly refused to publish in the _Pekin Gazette_ the Imperial decree, as requested by the foreign Powers. Their plea was that it was a _T’ing-chi_ (message from the Throne), and not a _Shang-Yu_, or Imperial decree. The rule, they stated, is that a special Imperial message is not delivered to the Grand Secretariat for publication in the _Gazette_. “This was an established rule of public business in China, which it was impossible to alter.”