coming up to the Capital from all parts of the Empire seemed to place it in great peril. And added to my embarrassments, the Viceroy's secretary came to me the evening before I was to meet the Cabinet, to say that the feeling against the Viceroy was so bitter that he thought it would prejudice my presentation of the matter if his secretary should be my interpreter. In view of this representation I asked the American Minister to let me have his interpreter, which he cheerfully did.

On April 30 my conference with the Cabinet took place at the office of the Tsung-li Yamen. I met there the ten most influential men of the Empire- those nearest to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, with the one exception of Prince Kung, then on sick leave. There were present Weng Tung Ho, tutor to the Emperor, and Li Hung Tsao, the two most influential men of the Cabinet and bitterest opponents of the Viceroy; also Prince Ching, later the head of the Cabinet, the Governor of Peking, and other presidents of various departments of government. It was the most unique conference I ever attended. For that day it was a notable meeting. The past fourteen years have made great innovations in Peking official life. Then the only intercourse of foreign ministers was with the Tsung-li Yamen and a formal New Year bow to the Emperor. That evening I met at dinner at the British. Legation the heads of the Diplomatic Corps and found them very curious to learn even of the personal appearance and manner of the members of the Cabinet, many of whom they had never met.

The object of the conference was to impress upon the Cabinet the necessity of the ratification of the treaty by the Emperor. The point which I strongly urged was that it was no longer Li Hung Chang's treaty, but the Emperor's treaty, as every word of it had been telegraphed to Peking before signing and, with the advice of the Cabinet, the Emperor had authorized its signature. If he refused to ratify it, he would

stand disgraced before the civilized world, and the Cabinet would be responsible for their Emperor's ignominy. They gave me very courteous attention, seemed much interested, and asked me many questions, which led to a general discussion of China's needs, lasting two hours, and I gave some pointed advice as to the reforms required in government. I may indicate something of the extent of information possessed by them as to the affairs of the outside world, when I mention that one of the questions asked me by the Emperor's tutor was whether it had ever happened in the wars of the Western nations that territory had been taken by one from the other.

My mission having been concluded, I started the next morning for Tientsin. Knowing that I was to leave, all the members of the Cabinet called at the American Legation where I was lodged and left their farewell cards. An extract from a letter written by me, May 3, gives the detailed result of my visit to Peking: :

We had a quick trip down the river, as the rains had made a strong current. Pethick called this morning early to say that the Viceroy was in "high feather," as he had a telegram from Peking saying the treaty had been ratified by the Emperor the day after my conference with the Cabinet and that he wanted me to come to the Yamen as soon as I could. When I arrived, the Viceroy met me at the outer door, received me with great delight and cordiality, and when we were seated he told me of the Emperor's ratification; said he had heard all about my conference with the Cabinet; and he gave me all the credit, saying if I had not gone to Peking the treaty would have been lost.

He then confirmed what I had heard at Peking that Russia, France, and Germany had made a demand upon Japan to retrocede to China the Liaotung Peninsula; said that serious complications were likely to arise concerning it; that the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty were yet to take

place at Chefoo; and he begged me to stay with him till these complications were passed. He added that he had referred the matter to the Tsung-li Yamen, and the Emperor had instructed him to engage me to remain. You know that it was my intention to go home directly after my return from Peking, as my stay has become more prolonged than I expected. But my reputation as well as my duty are involved in the success of the treaty, and I have agreed to remain in China for one or not to exceed two months.

Only five days remain of the time fixed for the exchange of the ratifications, and I must go without delay to Chefoo for that purpose.

The exchange of ratifications on the part of the Chinese Government was intrusted to two of the Viceroy's secretaries. We went to Chefoo in a foreign merchant vessel chartered for the purpose. The Japanese Commissioner arrived about the same time in a Japanese transport steamer. As evidence of the interest the nations of the world were taking in the act to be consummated at this port, we found in the harbor men-of-war of Great Britain, the United States, France, Germany, and Italy. In addition the Russian Government concentrated there the most formidable squadron which had ever been assembled in Chinese waters, consisting of seventeen men-of-war, several torpedo-boats, and other vessels of their navy. This demonstration by Russia was intended as a menace to Japan and with the hope of still inducing China not to take the final step to put the treaty in operation. To make this demonstration more impressive, as each vessel came to anchor it immediately proceeded to don the war-paint of dull gray and strip for action, using the shore just in front of the hotel in which the Japanese Treaty Commission was quartered for the storage of boats, sails, and other superfluous paraphernalia, in direct violation of Chinese territorial rights.