y and peasantry. In the Yangtsze valley order had
been maintained by the energy of the viceroys of Nanking and Wu-chang,
who had acted throughout the critical period in loyal co-operation with
the British consuls and naval commanders, and had courageously
disregarded the imperial edicts issued during the ascendancy of the
Boxers. After some hesitation, an Indian brigade, followed by French,
German and Japanese contingents, had been landed at Shanghai for the
protection of the settlements, and though the viceroy, Liu Kun-yi, had
welcomed British support, and even invited the joint occupation of the
Yangtsze forts by British and Chinese troops, the appearance of other
European forces in the Yangtsze valley was viewed with great suspicion.
In the south there were serious symptoms of unrest, especially after Li
Hung-Chang had left Canton for the north, in obedience, as he alleged at
the time, to an imperial edict which, there is reason to believe, he
invented for the occasion. The Chinese court, after one or two
intermediate halts, had retired to Si-gan-fu, one of the ancient
capitals of the empire, situated in the inaccessible province of
Shen-si, over 600 m. S.W. of Peking. The influence of the
ultra-reactionaries, headed by Prince Tuan and General Tung-fu-hsiang,
still dominated its councils, although credentials were sent to Prince
Ching and to Li Hung-Chang, who, after waiting upon events at Shanghai,
had proceeded to Peking, authorizing them to treat with the powers for
the re-establishment of friendly relations.

Measures of reparation.

The harmony of the powers, which had been maintained with some
difficulty up to the relief of the legations, was subjected to a severe
strain as soon as the basis of negotiations with the Chinese government
came to be discussed. While for various reasons Russia, Japan and the
United States were inclined to treat China with great indulgence,
Germany insisted upon the signal punishment of the guilty officials as a
_conditio sine qua non_, and in this she had the support not only of the
other members of the Triple Alliance, but also of Great Britain, and to
some extent even of France, who, as protector of the Roman Catholic
Church in Eastern countries, could not allow the authors of the
atrocities committed upon its followers to escape effectual punishment.
It was not until after months of laborious negotiations that the demands
to be formally made upon the Chinese government were