isclaimed any intention of doing
so,--which appears to have been a fatal mistake. It is disheartening to
have to state that nearly all the Allied Legations in Peking had been in
intimate relations with this gang--always excepting the American
Legation whose attitude is uniformly correct--the French Minister going
so far as to entertain the Military Governors and declare, according to
reports in the native press, that Parliament was of no importance at
all, the only important thing being for China promptly to declare war.
That some sort of public investigation into Peking diplomacy is
necessary before there can be any hope of decent relations between China
and the Powers seems indisputable.[26]

Before the end of May the militarists being now desperate, attempted the
old game of inciting the provincial capitals "to declare their
independence," although the mass of the nation was plainly against them.
Some measure of success attended this move, since the soldiery of the
northern provinces obediently followed their leaders and there was a
sudden wild demand for a march on Peking. A large amount of
rolling-stock on the main railways was seized with this object, the
confusion being made worse confounded by the fierce denunciations which
now came from the southernmost provinces, coupled with their threats to
attack the Northern troops all along the line as soon as they could
mobilize.

The month of June opened with the situation more threatening than it had
been for years. Emissaries of the recalcitrant Military Governors,
together with all sorts of "politicals" and disgruntled generals,
gathered in Tientsin--which is 80 miles from Peking--and openly
established a Military Headquarters which they declared would be
converted into a Provisional Government which would seek the recognition
of the Powers. Troops were moved and concentrated against Peking; fresh
demands were made that the President should dissolve Parliament; whilst
the Metropolitan press was suddenly filled with seditious articles. The
President, seeing that the situation was becoming cataclysmic, was
induced, through what influences is not known, to issue a mandate
summoning General Chang Hsun to Peking to act as a mediator, which was
another fatal move. He arrived in Tientsin with many troops on the 7th
June where he halted and was speedily brought under subversive
influences, sending at once up to Peking a sort of ultimatum which was
simply the old demand for