Ath Oct.
the letter by a native correspondent at Tientsin, published in another column, our readers will find the names and respective ranks of the four officials recommended by H.E. Li Hung-chang, in a recent memorial, as fitted to be his successor in the event of the Throne's granting permission to the memorialist to retire from public life on the plea of old age. It is not our intention, at present, to deal at length with this important subject—a subject upon which will depend in a great measure the future foreign policy of China. We desire only ex passant to explain one or two points in the memorial under review which might not be fully comprehended by the ordinary reader. For instance, b: the term " successor to Li Hung-chang," our readers must understand that the officials in question are supposed only to succeed to two of the principal posts held by Li Hung-chang, such as the Governor-Generalship of Chibli and the Superintendency of rade for the Peiyang or Northern ports Tientsin, Newchwang and Chefoo. We must leave aside such: questions as the enormous influence possessed by Li at Peking and in the provinces, and the sinecures he holds, viz: Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, Grand Secretary, Earl of the First Class, ete., etc. Be this as it may, the name of Chang Chih-tung, Governor-General of the Hukuang provinces, would doubtless have held first place in Li Hung-chang's memorial, as the man best fitted in rank, qualifications, views and energy to be his successor, had there not exists ed the insuperable objection of thi-official being a native of Chilli province—the district or Asie of Nanp'i having the honour of being the birth-
cousin, the present Grand Secretary place of both Chang Chih tang and his Chang Chih-wan, Accident of birth has therefore barred this official from the post of Viceroy of Chihli and Superintendent of Trade for the Northern ports, for by law, established it is said during the last days of the Ming dynasty, no man holding a civil and therefore power-holding rank can be permitted to become an officer in his own province, a prohibition which does not apply to military officials who have. but to obey the orders of the civil authorities. It is, however, our opinion that in the event of such a possibility as that of looking out for a successor to Li Hung-chang occurring, the multifarious duties of his post will have to be divided into two incumbencies; that of Viceroy of Chihli with head-quarters at-Paotingfu will be given to one of the Grand Secretaries mentioned in Li Hung-chang's memorial, while over the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.