LI HUNG CHANG, a Chinese states man and diplomatist; born in Ho Fei, province of Anhwei, China, Feb. 16, 1823. In 1850, when the Taiping rebels invaded Anhwei, he joined Tseng Kuo Fan's army as secretary. He was appointed judge of Chekiang province, and in 1861 gov ernor of Kiang-Su. In conjunction with Colonel (afterward General) Gordon, in 1863, he retook Suchow, and drove the rebels entirely out of Kiang-Su. For these services he was decorated with the Yellow Jacket and Peacock's Plume, and made a hereditary noble of the third class. In 1865 he was appointed Gover nor-General of the Liang Kiang prov inces, and in 1868 made Grand Chancel lor. After the massacres at Tien-tsin in 1870 he was degraded and his titles taken away on the charge of not assist ing the imperial commander of the troops; but in 1872 he was restored as Grand Chancellor and appointed Gover nor-General of Chihli, the metropolitan province. He was also Senior Grand Secretary, the highest distinction that can be attained by a Chinese official. When, in 1876, Margory was killed while endeavoring to explore southwestern China, Li Hung Chang was the commis sioner for fixing the indemnity. He negotiated important treaties with Peru and Japan. He was a friend to foreign
ers and to Western civilization and cul ture. As a munber of the Board of Admiralty he originated the Chinese navy, and was the chief promoter of the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company. He was imperial Commis sioner of Trade for the N. ports. The emperor intrusted to him supreme charge of the military and naval forces sent to Korea in the Chino-Japanese War, and he bore nearly the whole burden of the War Department, Marine Department, and Financial Department of the Chi nese Government. During the war with Japan the disasters to the Chinese arinies and navy were laid to his blame, and he was degraded and punished, but still re tained his office of Prime Minister. He was sent to Japan in 1895 to negotiate the peace treaty, where he barely escaped assassination. In 1896 he made a tour of the world, traveling overland and was everywhere received as a highly distin guished guest. He played a prominent part in adjusting the relations of China with foreign powers after the suppress ing of the uprisings of 1900-1901. He died in Peking, China, Nov. 7, 1901.