The Only Possible
Selection, Therefore, Was Li Hung Chang, Who Was, Accordingly, Appointed
Plenipotentiary.
He reached Shimonoseki on March 20, 1895, and, four days
after his arrival, the success of his mission was greatly promoted by the
attempt of a fanatic to assassinate him during his conference with Count
Ito, the Japanese representative.
The wound was not very serious, but the
outrage caused a unanimous expression of sympathy and regret on the part
of the Japanese people, and the Mikado sent his own physician to attend
the wounded minister. To attest their sorrow for this incident, the
Japanese at once granted an armistice, and the terms of peace which they
at first proposed were materially mitigated. On April 17 the Treaty of
Shimonoseki was signed, and, on May 8, the ratifications were exchanged at
Chefoo. The terms of the original treaty were these: First, China was to
surrender Formosa and the Pescadores Islands and the southern part of the
Shingking province, including the Liau-Tung, or Regent's Sword Peninsula,
and of course, also, the naval fortress of Port Arthur. China was likewise
to pay in eight installments a money indemnity of 200,000,000 Kuping
taels, or, say, $160,000,000. She was also to grant certain commercial
concessions, including the admission of ships under the Japanese flag to
the Chinese lakes and rivers, and the appointment of consuls. In view of
the completeness of Japan's triumph, these conditions could not be
considered onerous, but they, undoubtedly, disturbed the balance of power
in the Far East, and, had they been permitted to stand, would have
effectually thwarted Russia's plan of advancing southward, and of
obtaining an ice-free port.
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