ABSTRACT
The Italian Catholic missionaries had never actively served the interests of the state. Although the Italians had a small presence in the Christian enterprise in China, most of the missionaries had to hold French passports in order to receive French protection. By 1896, when Italy became more attracted by prospects in the Far East, the region had already become a major theater of Great Power competition. At one point, Salvago-Raggi pointed out to the Chinese that Italy was not a weak country to be ignored, The sharp-tongued correspondent of The Times of London, G. E. Morrison, quickly expanded this story into a 'theatrical performance' by the Italians in the whole Sanmen Bay affair. Salvago-Raggi was deeply hurt and outraged. Italy's debacle in the Sanmen Bay affair was clearly catalytic in transforming the Court's attitude by the end of 1899. The anti-foreign Manchu princelings and the Bannermen aristocrats were particularly emboldened by this event.
