POLITICAL JOTTINGS IN CHINA, ces As soon as the Emperor of China has taken over the actual Government of the country in February of next year, a Chinese official named Un Tung Ho is likely to be made the Fiead of the Grand Council, and become all powerful, as the Emperor has a great affection for him. The Emperor is now 17 years old, and Ung Tang Ho has been the Grand Tutor ever since the Emperor's Childhood.
The Emperor has a serious hesitation in his speech, and speaks very slowly, and with considerable difficulty. He is quiet in disposition, and very obstinate when once he has formed an opinion. He has a very large head, and a thin pointed face. He is considered decidedly clever. There are strong indications that the Emperor intends to rule in fact, as well as in name, and is determined not to allow his father to interfere in as the Government of the country at all. Prince Chun, the Emperor's father is very ambitious as was shown by the intrigue which took place four years ago, when Prince Kung, his elder brother, was suddenly degraded, and removed from the offices which he had held for about twenty-five years, and Prince Chun was immediately afterwards appointed to succeed him. The latter appointment was quite contrary to Chinese law, and custom, which requires that an Emperor's father should always live in the strictest retirement, and never take any high office or interfere in any way in the direction of affairs of state. Prince Chun has managed to maintain himself in office, and in power, and will probably make strong efforts to continue to do so, but it seems pretty certain that the Emperor does not intend to permit this, and consequently a struggle is almost sure to occur. There are two surviving brothers of Prince Chun, the Emperor's father who is the youngest of the three, and who is known as the "Seventh Prince;" the eldest being Prince Thun who is known as the "Fifth Prince" and the next Prince Kung who is known as the "Sixth Prince." In the event of a struggle taking place between the Emperor and his father, it is probable that one of the uncles, most likely Prince Kung, will be appointed by the Em to the highest post, ie. nominal of the Grand Council, but is probable that the Emperor will retain the real power iv his own hands, with Ung Tung Ho as his confidential adviser.
Another element, which is most important in connection with the accession of the Emperor to full power, is the disposition of the Emperor towards the Empress Dowager, who will then retire, at any rate nominally, from all share in the Government of the Empire. The Empress Dowager is an Aunt of the Em-ror, her sister having married Prince hun. She has wielded almost despotic power for a great many years past, and possesses undoubtedly very great force of character. She will have to retire into complete political obscurity nominally, but whether she will consent to do so in reality seems very doubtful, and all the weight of her immense influence will be thrown into the scale to assist Prince Chun. The Emperor, who is old for his years, is known to avoid as much as possible letting his real feelings and intentions be known, and the Tang Chih, just as he had taken over mysterious fate of his young predecessor,
the reins of power, no doubt acts as a strong reason for great caution. Those however who have had to be in attendance upon the young Emperor are well aware that the Emperor's real sentiments are very unfavourable towards his Aunt the Empress Dowager. One fact rankles in his mind very much, namely, that whereas twelve Muillions of taels were allowed by the Empress for the marriage expenses of Tung Chih, she has only allowed five millions of taels for his own marriage. He has carefully avoided committing himself by any open expression on this subject, but it is believed that it will have a considerable influence upon his actions, and that he is not likely ever to forget or to forgive it.
The Emperor, the three Princes, and the Empress Dowager are all pure Manchus, but Ung Tang Ho is a Chinese, a native of the province of Kiang-ssu, and comes of a very ancient and renowned family. He is strongly opposed to foreigners and foreign ways, and his great influence with the Emperor will probably lead to a vigorous attempt to retard the introduction of railways, and all Western innovations. It sill also in all probability lead to strained relations between the Chinese Government and the representatives of Foreign ow vers, which will bring about a very critical state of affairs not at all unlikely to end in war. In the present dangerous state of Europe none of the great Treaty Powers will allow themselves to be drawn into a war with China if they can possibly avoid it, but this fact is so well known at Peking that it is quite likely to lead the Chinese Government to presume upon it too far. he real danger ahead is a want of firmness on the part of Foreign Governments, and a too conspicuous desire to keep on good terms with China; nothing is so calculated to bring ead about the very calamity that it is desired to avert. The Crimean war would never have happened if Russia had not been firmly persuaded that England would not under any circumstances declare war, the persuasion being to a great extent based upon the assertions of the leading organ of English opinion at the time. In the same way, o similar assumption on the part of China will cause matters to ate into a dangerous state of tension, when any accidental overt act may precipitate rupture. A most important fact to be always borne in mind in connection with Chinese politics is that the present Tartar, or Manchu, dynasty is an alien one and that the members of it have never intermarried with Chinese. Tartar garrisons, still scattered throughout China, are merely symbols of a power that once really existed, but is now completely gone. The Manchus would have been swept from the throne and the country long ago but for one thing; the utter disunion and great jealousy between Chinese officials and the intense suspicion that every high Chinese official feels of every other official. The principle," divide and govern," is well understood by the ruling race, and they show marvellous ability in their practical application of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.