Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/644

Rh P*eng Tti-lin 3& JH (T. ® !^). A. D. 1824-1890. A native 1642 of H6ng-yang in Hunan, who passed the examination for h»iu ts^ai only. In 1852 he was secretary to Ts£ng Eno-fan, and in 1853 was placed in command of the Yang-tsze fleet and operated with success against the T^ai-pMng rebels. On the fall of Nanking, he was ennobled as Duke and became a JunioY Guardian of the Heir Apparent. In 1865 he was appointed acting Director General of the Grain Transport, but declined the post. In July 1868, partly with a view to recruit his health, which had been undermined by long warfare on the Yang-tsze, he obtained leave to go into mourning for his mother, who had died in 1852 when iie was in active service. Owing however to the transfer of Ts6ng Euo-fan to Tientsin, he was unable to avail himself of this leave until 1870. In 1872 he resumed his command on the Yang-tsze, and during the next 10 years was frequently employed in investigating charges against various high officials. Ill-health drove him to apply for leave to vacate his post, which was granted on condition of his making an annual inspection of the Yang-tsze. In 1881 he was appointed Viceroy of the Two Eiang, but declined the post, recommending the appoint- ment of Ts£ng Euo-ch'tian. In the same year he entered a vigorous protest against the use of ironclads and the introduction of railways, lu 1883 he declined the post of President of the Board of War; after which he was sent to Canton to oi^anise its defences, in view of a rupture with the French ovef Tongking. He remained at Canton as Imperial Naval Commissiouer until Jan. 1886, during which period his proposals to get Siam to attack the French in Cambodia, and to invite Singapore Chinese to kill French officers and men, were coldly received at Peking. In May 1884 he protested strongly against peace with France. He retired to his home in Sept. 1886, and remained there, except for annual tours of inspection, until his death. He enjoyed an extraordinary reputation for fearless probity.

40