ICIAL INTERVIEWS WITH VICEROY CHANG DURING THE CRISIS OF 1900

"At our interview of 17th June, described at length in my despatch
to you of 18th June, the Viceroy explained his determination to
maintain order and to afford the protection due under treaty; he
also emphasised his desire to be on friendly terms with England.

"Early in June, the three cities of Wuchang, Hanyang and Hankow had
been full of rumours of the kidnapping of children and even grown
persons by means of hypnotism; and though a concise notification by
the Viceroy, that persons spreading such tales would be executed,
checked its prevalence here, the scare spread to the country districts
and inflamed the minds of the people against foreigners and, in
consequence, against converts and missions.

"On the 25th June, the Viceroy, as reported in a separate despatch
of 28th June, to Lord Salisbury, sent a special envoy to assure me
that H. E. would not accept or act upon any anti-foreign decrees
from Peking. At the same time he communicated copy of a telegraphic
memorial from himself and seven other high provincial officers
insisting on the suppression of the
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Boxers and the maintenance of peace. This advice H. E. gave me
to understand led to the recall of Li Hung Chang to the north as
negotiator.

"Distorted accounts of the capture of the Taku forts and the hostilities
of the north caused some excitement, but the Viceroy's proclamation
of 2nd July, copy of which was forwarded in my despatch of 3rd
July to the Foreign Office, and the vigorous police measures taken
by His Excellency soon restored calm which, despite occasional
rumours, continued until the recent plot and scare reported in my
despatch to you of 23rd of August. In the same despatch I described
how, in compliance with my wish, H. E. took the unprecedented step
of tearing down his proclamation embodying an Imperial Decree which
had been taken to imply license to harry converts. To foreigners
during the past two months the question of interest has been whether
the Viceroy could and would keep his troops in order. The Viceroy
himself seemed to be in some doubt until the return of his trusted
officers, who were attending the Japanese manoeuvres when the
northern troubles began. Every now and then reports of disaffection
have been industriously circulated, but the drilled troops have
never shown any sign of disloyalty.

"A point of H. E.'s policy which has caused considerable suspici