31 OCTOBER 1896, Page 2

This appointment of Li Hang Chang is septibsed to Consti-

tute a ETV deilartin7i in Chinese practice, there ba,ring hitherto been no single ofneiliti Vain responsible for 'foreign affairs. It is not cerbiin, 'hoiverti; that the' new 'Minister is in- dependent of the Tsung-117Yamen, the Council which has hitherto Controlled all negotiations, and in* the very Gazette which announces the appointment, Li Hung Chang is publicly censured for intruding into the Summer Palace in order to pay a visit to the Eiiitiffisi'Doirker. This is supposed to be a warning to the world that the Envoy Extraordinary is noth,, yet restored to full favour, but it is more probably an indicai. tion that China is now, as ever, governed by meaningless etiquettes, against which Li had in some way or other seriously offended. We expect no change in China whoever is supposed to be in power.