PRINCE CHUN AND THE GERMAN EMPEROR.
(113INA has beaten Europe again. That seems to us the only possible conclusion to be drawn from the history of the strange diplomatic battle which for the past fortnight has been raging in Berlin. The German Emperor, who from the first has desired to occupy a separate as well as a grand position in the negotiations with China, insisted that as his Minister had been murdered at Pekin, the Chinese Court should make special amends to him and to Germany by despatching to Berlin a mission of humiliation. A lad named Prince Chun, only eighteen years of age, but a younger brother of the Emperor, was accordingly despatched from Sian with a splendid suite and orders to express in a personal interview with his Majesty the " regret " of the Chinese Emperor that such an incident should have occurred. The clause was placed first in the protocol, and as no other State was similarly honoured, though the lives of all Ministers had been attempted, the greatness of the German Emperor and his special provocation were fully acknowledged. William II., however, was not contented. He is apparently convinced that the pride of the Chinese Court must be broken as well as its military strength, and he hit, with that end, upon a striking if not an original device. He would revive the ceremonial of the kow-tow, or threefold prostration, formerly demanded of every Envoy to Pekin, only this time it should be performed by the representative of China and before a, European Monarch. The Prince might be exempt as a member of an Imperial house from the personal degradation, but the three heads of his suite must make the three prostrations, striking the ground visibly and audibly with their foreheads. The Embassy, in fait, should kow-tow, though its nominal head, being Royal, need only bow. No hint of this demand was given in Pekin, lest, perchance, the Ambassador should refuse to come; but on his arrival in Basle Prince Chun was informed that to express regret was insufficient, that he must beg pardon for the murder, and that he must direct those around him to perform the kow-tow. Then the Emperor would relent and receive him as became his birth and his character as representative of a great Monarchy. Prince Chun stopped dead. He is described as a pleasure-loving lad of no intellectual powers, but he knew his Court, and knew that if he sanctioned the ceremony, which would be immediately described through- out Europe and reported back to China, even his birth would not save him from the vengeance of the insulted Empress-Regent. He pretended illness, telegraphed at great length to Pekin for instructions, and finally refused altogether to allow the humiliating ceremony to be per- formed. William IL was in a quandary. Neither the Courts of Europe nor his own subjects really approved a demand unknown in diplomacy except as a barbarian affront ; he could not march an army to compel sub- mission, and he could not bear to forego his special and separate apology. So he gave way. He would, he said, receive Prince Chun alone,—that is, he would receive only the one man who, as he had admitted, could not, as an Imperial Prince, be even asked to kow-tow. The special Chinese Ambassador will apologise, but as equal speaking to equal.
It is no wonder that Berliners laugh, for they are familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, and to European minds the whole incident suggests The Mikado rather than serious negotiation ; but it has a very serious side. It shows that the German Emperor can allow a fancy born of his own thoughts to overmaster his judgment. It shows also that the Manchus, though they have accom- plished nothing in battle and have bought off the barbarian at a heavy price, do not consider themselves conquered, but are still prepared in the strength of their immobility to face any European State. They do not think the diplomatic struggle comical at all. It seems to them that they have faced a great military Monarchy on a diplomatic field chosen by itself, and that it has receded after a battle. If Germany cannot defeat them, what Power can hope for success in any future struggle ? if she is afraid to be firm. what State will be firm against their obstinacy ? It is not as if the incident stood alone. Whenever they have re- sisted up to the point of risking further attack, they have, after many threats, come off with flying colours. They refused to execute the great men who had planned the " Boxer " rising or organised the attack on the Legations, 'and the great men are alive and at the head of armies. They refused t6 dismantle the Taku forts, and the Taku forts are to remain. They refused to return to Pekin, and -Pekin is to cease to be the capital, at least while the Lega- tions are armed. And' now, when the greatest of 013 hostile Sovereigns, and the one who has been most bitterly affronted, has demanded humiliating apologies, they lia refused them also, and he has shrunk before their doe; mination. What can they think, they to whom ceremsaia'; is the most serious of State questions, but that refusal always safe, and that if they do but sit still and prot..- Europe will always, after more or less of inefteetaa, splutter, draw back defeated? Any Court whatever would think so, even that of Portugal or Montenegro, and this a Court proud almost to insanity, conscious of sway are. hundreds of millions, and accustomed to believe tir whatever the strength of its enemies, it is strength lik. that of a boat in water, which as it passes, no matter with what fuss and raising of waves, leaves the river tranquil a, before.
The incident is a most unfortunate one for all Europe, for the Powers are only on the threshold of most ditfficul negotiations with China about commerce, about freedom of travel, about the protection of missionaries, about the access of Ambassadors to the Emperor; and if the Court, profiting by its experience, and with its obstinacy reiu. forced by diplomatic victories, simply sits still, quietly refusing all demands, what are they to do ? They will never act as a body again, and if they act as individuals they run the risk not only of incurring vast expenditure which cannot again be repaid out of Chinese taxes, but of rousing anew the jealousies which have rendered the present great expedition so nearly abortive. 13n1&.; absolutely compelled to act by some affront from the Court, or rising among the people, they will hesitate and deliberate and negotiate until even trade with China has become almost impossible. The Manchus are perfectlyaware of European jealousies, they are aware how reluctant every State is to declare war on them, and they perceive clearly —and this is the most alarming fact of all—that in resist- ing the foreigner they are consolidating their own dominion at home. Nothing has been more wonderful in all this long imbroglio than the ease with which the Empress. Regent, though forced to fly for her life, and for tha moment stripped alike of troops and revenues, has reasserted her absolute authority. The reason is plain,— in resisting the foreigner she has been gratifying the inner pride and the immovable prejudices of her people. The masses may know nothing of Berlin, but power is stilt with the Mandarins, and there is not a Mandarin who will not feel prouder because a great European Sovereign has been compelled to forego his expressed will by the deter- mined resistance of an insignificant Manchu Prince. Prince Chun, who even in Europe would not kow-tew to a European or allow his attendants to kow-tow, will be, we may rest assured, a hero in Chinese eyes.
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