200 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XVIII 



which had beset his country. Again and again he visited 

 me, always wishing to discuss some new phase of the 

 questions at issue. I could only hope that, as he was about 

 to return to China, some of the ideas brought out in our 

 conversations might prove fruitful. One result of the rela 

 tion thus formed was that when Prince Chun, the brother 

 of the Emperor of China, came to make apology before 

 the throne of the Emperor William, he called upon me. 

 Unfortunately I was out, but, returning his visit, I met him, 

 and, what was more to the purpose, the dignitaries of his 

 suite, some of whom interested me much ; and I was glad 

 of a chance, through them, to impress some of the ideas 

 brought out in my previous conversations with the min 

 ister. I cannot say that I indulged in any strong hopes 

 as regards the prince himself; but, noting the counselors 

 who surrounded him, and their handling of the questions 

 at issue, I formed more hope for the conservation of 

 China as a great and beneficent power than I had ever had 

 before. 



To this succeeded an episode of a very different sort. 

 For some time Mr. Andrew Carnegie had done me the 

 honor to listen to advice of mine regarding some of his 

 intended benefactions in Scotland, the United States, and 

 elsewhere. I saw and felt the great possibilities for good 

 involved when so noble a heart, so shrewd a head, so gen 

 erous a hand had command of one of the most colossal 

 fortunes ever at the disposal of a human being; and the 

 bright purposes and plans revealed in his letters shone 

 through the clouds of that mournful summer. So it was 

 that, on my journey to America, made necessary by the 

 sudden death of my son, I accepted Mr. Carnegie s in 

 vitation to visit him at his castle of Skibo in the extreme 

 north of Scotland. Very striking, during the two days 

 journey from London to Edinburgh, and from Edinburgh 

 to Bonar, were the evidences of mourning for President 

 McKinley in every city, village, and hamlet. It seemed 

 natural that, in the large towns and on great public build 

 ings, flags at half-mast and in mourning should show a 



