Li Hongzhang (Wade-Giles: Li Hung-chang); Marquis Suyi of the First Class (February 15; 1823 - November 7; 1901); was a Chinese civilian official who ended several major rebellions; and a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire. He served in important positions of the Imperial Court; once holding the office of the Viceroy of Zhili.

William Ewart Gladstone (29 December 1809 - 19 May 1898); was a British Liberal politician. In a career lasting over sixty years; he served as Prime Minister four separate times (1868-74; 1880-85; February-July 1886 and 1892-94); more than any other person; and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer four times. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister; he resigned for the final time when was 84 years old.

The Black Flag Army (Chinese: Heiqi Jun) was a remnant of a bandit group that may have been former Taiping rebels that crossed the border from Guangxi province in China into Upper Tonkin; in the Empire of Annam (Vietnam) in 1865. They became known mainly for their fights against French forces in cooperation with both Vietnamese and Chinese authorities. The Black Flag Army is so named because of the preference of its commander; Liu Yongfu; for using black command flags. Pictures From History