I THE EMPEROR ON THE TROUBLES IN CHINA T will doubtless be well remembered that during the serious troubles in China, in the year 1900, the Emperor's policy was from first to last marked by great firmness, and that he left no stone unturned to avenge the murder of his Ambassador and to restore order. The speeches in which he discussed the situation attracted unusual attention, and this was particularly the case with the one which he delivered at Wilhelmshaven on the 2nd of July, when he bade good-bye to the first battalion of Marines which left Germany for the Far East. His Majesty's words were: "Into the midst of profound peace the firebrand of war has been hurled-not, alas! unexpected by me. A crime unheard of in its arrogance, horrible in its barbarity, has struck down my trusted representative, and taken him from us. The Ambassadors of other Powers, together with the comrades who were sent to protect them, are in jeopardy of their lives; perhaps this very day they have already fought their last fight. The German flag has been insulted, and the German Empire defied. This calls for condign punishment and revenge. The situation has developed with fearful rapidity and is now most serious, and, since I called you under arms for mobilisation, has become even more grave. The reestablishment of order, which I hoped to effect with the aid of the Marines, has now become a very difficult task-one which can only be accomplished by a combined body of troops of all civilised Powers. On this very day the Admiral of the squadron of cruisers has requested me to take into consideration the advisability of despatching a division. You will meet a foe who has no more fear of death than you have. Trained by European officers, the Chinese have learnt how to use European arms. Thank God, your comrades of the Marines and of my Navy, whenever they have met the enemy, have strengthened and maintained the old military prestige of Germany, have defended themselves gloriously and victoriously, and have accomplished their tasks. So I send you out to avenge this wrong, and I will never rest till the German flag, together with those of other Powers, floats victoriously above the Chinese standards, and planted on the walls of Pekin, dictates peace to the Chinese. You are to maintain good comradeship with all the troops with whom you come into contact— Russians, British, French, or whatever else they may be. They all fight for one cause-civilisation. "We have in mind something higher also, namely, our religion and the defence and protection of our brothers out there who, at the risk of their lives, have taken up the cause of the Saviour. Remember the honour of our arms, remember those who fought in the past, and go forth with the old motto which is on the flag of Brandenburg to guide you : “Vertrau' auf Gott, dich tapfer wehr', "The flags which float over you here will be taken under fire for the first time. See that you bring them back clean, spotless, and without stain. You will not lack my thanks and my interest, my prayers and my solicitude; they will not fail you; I will follow you with them." In view of the seriousness of the situation, the order was given to form an expeditionary corps of the strength of a composite brigade, consisting of volunteers from the Army. On July 27th, 1900, the Emperor delivered the following speech to the troops sailing from Bremerhaven for China immediately before their departure: "Great responsibilities are they which have fallen to the lot of the newly created German Empire across the sea, responsibilities far greater than many of my countrymen expected. The German Empire, from its very nature, is bound to come to the assistance of its citizens whenever they are oppressed in a foreign land. The problems which proved insoluble to the Holy Roman Empire, the modern German Empire is in a position to solve. The means that enables it to do this is our Army. By the loyal work of thirty years of peace, it has been trained according to the principles laid down by my late grandfather. You, too, have received your training according to those principles, and are now to be put to the proof before the enemy, to see whether they will stand the test. Your comrades of the Navy have already stood the test, and have shown you that the principles of our training are sound, and I am proud also of the praises from the lips of foreign commanders which your comrades out yonder have won. I look to you to do the same as they. A great task awaits you; you are to redress the grievous wrong that has been perpetrated. The Chinese have trampled on international law, they have, in a manner unheard of in the history of the world, hurled foul scorn at the sanctity of the Ambassador and the duties of hospitality. Such conduct is all the more revolting, because the crime was committed by a nation which is proud of its immemorial civilisation. Maintain the old Prussian excellency; prove yourselves Christians in the cheerful endurance of suffering; may honour and glory attend your colours and your arms; set an example to all the world of discipline and obedience. You know right well that you are to fight against a crafty, brave, wellarmed, barbarous foe. If you fall into his hands, then know that quarter will not be given, prisoners will not be made; wield your weapons to such effect that for a thousand years no Chinaman shall ever again dare to look askance at a German. Uphold discipline; God's blessing be with you, the prayers of a whole nation, my best wishes go with you every one. Open the way for civilisation once for all. You may now start on your voyage. Good-bye, my comrades!" Another notable speech was that which his Majesty delivered at Cassel on the 18th of August, the occasion being the departure of Count von Waldersee and his staff. 'I salute you," he said, "at the moment of your departure from the Fatherland, and I congratulate you on having been chosen to take part in the campaign in China as the staff and under the guidance and leadership of our trusted Field-Marshal, Count von Waldersee. "Dear Waldersee, I congratulate you on the fact that I am able to-day to salute you once more as Commander of the united troops of the civilised world. It is of great significance that your appointment had its origin in the suggestion and by the wish of his Majesty, the Emperor of all the Russias, the mighty Monarch whose power is felt in far distant Asiatic countries. This demonstrates once more how closely related are the old military traditions of the two Empires. It is a great joy to me, that upon the suggestion of his Majesty the whole civilised world without distinction spontaneously entrusted to your Excellency the command of their troops. We, as Prussian officers, are grateful and full of pride that this duty has been laid upon you, for it indicates a universal recognition of our military life and work, as well as of our military system and of the training and leadership of our generals and officers. As a token of your dignity I hand over to you on this day your Field-Marshal's baton, and I hope that you will wield it with your wonted vigour and with the confidence which you have always shown on important occasions. Above all things, however, I hope that you will be supported by Providence, without whose aid even the most accomplished soldier can do nothing. "I conclude with the wish that your Excellency may be permitted to perform your tasks, whether they are protracted or of short duration, sanguinary or otherwise, as you yourself would wish, and as we, who have entrusted our troops to you, unanimously desire. I trust, in the interests of all our nations, that our common expedition may be a firm guarantee of that mutual toleration and general peace among all European Powers, which his Majesty, the Emperor of Russia, attempted to bring about last year in another way. That which was not granted to us that we should accomplish in peace, we may perhaps now win while we have our weapons in hand." After order had been restored, Prince Chun came to Europe on a penitential mission. He visited Potsdam, and on the 4th of September, 1901, stood at the foot of the throne and expressed his regrets to the Emperor. His Majesty replied to the Prince's address as follows : "It is not an occasion of joyful festivity or the desire to fulfil a simple act of courtesy that has prompted your Imperial Highness to visit me, but a most lamentable and grievous occurrence. My Ambassador at the Court of his Majesty, the Emperor of China, Baron von Ketteler, was struck down by a murderous weapon, which was raised in the capital of China by a soldier of the Imperial Chinese Army, acting under the order of a superior. An unheard-of crime, equally condemned by international law and the custom of all nations. I have just heard from the lips of your Imperial Highness how sincerely and deeply his Majesty, the Emperor of China, regrets this occurrence. I readily believe that your Imperial Highness's Imperial brother had no share in this crime and the outrages against inviolable legations and peaceful foreigners which followed it. All the greater, therefore, is the culpability of his counsellors and his Government. They must not imagine that they can atone for, and be excused of, their culpability by means of a penitential mission alone, but only by their subsequent conduct in accordance with the precepts of international law and the customs of civilised nations. If his Majesty, the Emperor of China, conducts in the future the government of his great Empire strictly in the spirit of these precepts, then his hopes will be fulfilled, the sad consequences of the disorders of last year will be forgiven, and between Germany and China there will again permanently prevail peaceful and friendly relations, which will be a blessing to both nations and, indeed, to the whole civilised world. With the sincere and earnest wish that it may be so, I bid your Imperial Highness welcome." |