198 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE -XVIII 



been so greatly misrepresented, at last recognized as a 

 great and true man was, at least, a solace. 



At this period came the culmination of a curious episode 

 in my official career. During the war in China the Chinese 

 minister at Berlin, Lu-Hai-Houan, feeling himself cut off 

 from relations with the government to which he was ac 

 credited, and, indeed, with all the other powers of Europe, 

 had come at various times to me, and with him, fortu 

 nately, came his embassy counselor, Dr. Kreyer, whom 

 I had previously known at Berlin and St. Petersburg as 

 a thoughtful man, deeply anxious for the welfare of 

 China, and appreciative of the United States, where he 

 had received his education. The minister was a kindly 

 old mandarin of high rank, genial, gentle, evidently strug 

 gling hard against the depression caused by the misfor 

 tunes of his country, and seeking some little light, if, 

 perchance, any was to be obtained. In his visits to me, 

 and at my return visits to him, the whole condition of 

 things in China was freely and fully discussed, and never 

 have I exerted myself more to give useful advice. First, 

 I insisted upon the necessity of amends for the fearful 

 wrong done by China to other nations, and then presented 

 my view of the best way of developing in his country a 

 civilization strong enough to resist hostile forces, exterior 

 and interior. As to dealings with the Christian mission 

 aries, against whom he showed no fanatical spirit, but 

 who, as he thought, had misunderstood China and done 

 much harm, I sought to show him that the presumption 

 was in their favor, but that if the Chinese Government 

 ultimately came to the decision that their stay in China 

 was incompatible with the safety of the nation, its course 

 was simple: that on no account was it to kill or injure 

 any of them or of their converts ; that while, in my view, 

 it would be wise to arrange for their continuance in China 

 under proper regulation, still, that if they must be ex 

 pelled, it should be done in the most kindly and consid 

 erate way, and with due indemnity for any losses to which 

 they might be subjected. Of course, there was no denying 



