THE BOXER RISING OF 1900. 381 



The next violent upheaval of the Chinese volcano 

 took the shape of the Boxer rising and siege of the 

 legations at Peking, and it was not until an inter- 

 national force had dispelled the dark cloud of obscurity 

 which enveloped the victims of the troubles of 1900 

 that reform again became a subject of discussion. 

 There is evidence of some slight improvement in the 

 internal condition of the country in the past two years, 

 and the Peking correspondent of ' The Times,' while 

 admitting that " the Wai-wu-pu is the same cumbrous 

 body as was the Tsungli-Yamen, the only change be- 

 inof a reduction of the number of ministers and an 

 alteration of the shape of the table at which they sit," 

 affirms that the internal condition of the country is 

 unquestionably better in 1904 than it was at the 

 beginning of 1903. 



There is little, however, to suggest that the colossal 

 scheme of financial and military reorganisation which 

 has recently been propounded by Sir Robert Hart has 

 any great prospects of fulfilment. Sir Robert Hart 

 is, as I well know, a staunch believer in the future 

 regeneration of China ; but can even the sturdiest 

 believer in the latent possibilities of the Chinese re- 

 lassitude in body. This brought us to the thought that her Majesty, the 

 Empress-Dowager Tze-hsi-tuan-yu, &c., had since the reign of the late 

 Emperor Tung Chih twice held the regency with much success, and that 

 although the empire was then also labouring under great difficulties she 

 always issued triumphant and successful when grappling with critical 

 questions. Now we consider the safety of the empire handed down to us 

 by our imperial ancestors above all things else ; hence under the critical 

 condition of things now pending over us we have thrice petitioned her 

 Majesty to graciously accede to our prayer and personally give us the 

 benefit of her wise instructions in the government of this empire. She 

 has, fortunately for the prosperity of the officials and inhabitants of the 

 empire, granted our request, and from to-day on her Majesty will conduct 

 the affairs of State in the ordinary throne-hall." This and the other reform 

 edicts of the Emperor Kwang Hsu have been reprinted in pamphlet form 

 from ' The North China Daily News.' 



