54 THE.GOVERNOR tant backers in the court-including Li Lien-ying,the grand eu- nuch;Na-t'ung,the president of the Board of Revenue;Prince FIVE Ch'ing;and the empress herself.Among his lieutenants were Hsu Shih-ch'ang,his sworn-brother;T'ang Shao-i,his loyal assistant; a large number of officers who had served under him since Hsiao- The Viceroy,I90I-1907 chan;and many civilian subordinate-including Yin Ming-shou, Juan Chung-shu,and Chou Hsuieh-hsi.The relationship between Yuan and his colleagues was often compared to that between mas- ter and his disciples,and it was occasionally reinforced by other ties,such as marriages between their children. Although Yuan's appointment as acting viceroy of Chihli and commissioner of trade for northern China was announced on the SINCE Tientsin,the traditional seat of the viceroy of Chihli,was day of Li Hung-chang's death,he could not accept this powerful under foreign military occupation until August 8,1g02,Yuan was office without the proper ritual,without showing his humility.In forced to establish temporary headquarters at Paoting,the pro- more practical terms,it seemed wise to show some concern for the vincial capital.From there,with the help of Tuan Ch'ijui and feelings of senior statesmen like Chang Chih-tung,Liu K'un-i, Ni Ssu-ch'ung,he directed a mopping-up campaign against small and Jung-lu,and to appear reluctant to leave Shantung without bands of Boxers still roaming the countryside.Although he also completing his ambitious programs there.Hetherefore immedi- called on the Manchu Bannermen,they proved utterly useless; ately telegraphed the empress declining the imperial favor.On Yuan's Right Division was responsible for the success of the oper- the same day,Sheng Hsuian-huai urged him to accept this key post ations.With peace and order restored early in 1902,Yuan was in the north,but Yuan replied in an apparently firm tone: able to proceed with his long-term policies. The young viceroy's major task was to secure the defense of My waning health and confused mind do not permit me'to do as I am northern China from the Amur River to the Shantung peninsula. commanded.If I go,Shantung will certainly fall into chaos like Mukden. How can Chihli look after itself,if both Shantung and Mukden are in Since his total force of some 20,o00 soldiers was too thin for this, turmoil?My departure from Tsinan can only harm the delicate situation. military expansion was imperative.Yuan could not expect any Please think it over and drop this matter altogether.19 financial help from the depleted imperial treasury in this under- Sheng,reading between the lines and anxious to be on good terms taking;nor could he count on regular revenues from his devas- with this new dignitary,initiated a proposal to add Shantung to tated province.Thus he had to tap such sources as the customs the long list of the viceroy's responsibilities.Jung-lu seconded it, office at Tientsin,the coal mines at Kaiping,and the railways, and the empress granted her approval in mid-November.Yuan controlled by Sheng Hsuan-huai.In these and other matters,there accepted his new seal of authority on the 17th.Three days later, were foreign interests to be considered,especially the Russian and he relinquished the gubernatorial office in Tsinan to a subordi- Japanese ambitions in Manchuria,so Yuan's role in formulating nate and began his journey to Chihli. foreign policy also grew.But first let us look at his defense policies. The department of military administration in Paoting consist- ed of three offices-planning,training,and supplies-headed by Tuan Ch'i-jui,Feng Kuo-chang,and Liu Yung-ch'ing,respec- tively.Yuan himself was chief of the department.Another trust- ed aide,Wang Shih-chen,was given command of the First Brigade and was placed in charge of training other troops in Chihli. Yuan's plan,approved by both the throne and the Grand Coun-