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"26 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.tion in favour of the Manchus, for an undue proportion ofPresidents has been Manchu, whilst the Vice-presidencieshave not been evenly divided. The duties of the Boardswere not at this time clearly defined, but the heads ofeach Board and Court [were] hereby ordered to studythe matter, and after due consultation with the GrandCouncil . . .report upon the same to the Throne lorsanction." A fortnight later a full list of appointmentsto the new or re-established offices was issued as anImperial decree.This decree and itsdependent appointments represent the state of things as in the spring and summer of1907. At this time a number of changes took place inofficial circles. The central figure was Yuan Shih-k ai,around whom were grouped Tang Shao-} r i, Yang Shihhsiang,Chou Fu and Chang Pao-hsi. Another group,however, attached itself to Chang Chih-tung. At thistime Yuan Shih-k ai had just resigned the High Commissionershipof Army Reorganization and handed overthe control of the northern army to Tieh Liang, President of the Board of War. From this time on Yuan ssuggestions for the reform of the central administration,many of them involving his own release from variousoffices, were accepted in Peking, whilst those of ChangChih-tung for the reorganization of the provinces carriedfull weight. About this time came the Decree settingapart a day of national celebration of the birthday of Confucius with divine honors and this apotheosis was followedby favourably received proposals to establish a Confucian school at Kufu (Shantung), Chang Chih-tung beingappointed director and instructions being issued to give theConfucian classics a preeminent place in the curriculumto the exclusion of modern science. This very pointedpreference of the ancient sage had considerable politicalsignificance at the moment, almost coinciding as it didwith Imperial strictures on the conduct of Tang Shaoyiand Chang Pao-hsi. It almost appeared indeed thatYuan Shih-k ai and some of his followers were so isola-