24th December, The Date of Arrival of the Emperor Kuang Hsii at Peking is reported to be fixed for the 6th of the 12th moon, or the 15th of January next. Viceroy Yuan Shih-kai, Treasurer Chow Fu, and other high officials of Chibli province, according to a Paoting telegram, have arrived at Tz'echou, the Honan city bordering Chibli province, where if everything turns out right they will have welcomed their Majesties yesterday afternoon. It is also reported in mandarin Gireles that the Empress Dowager will not Grrive the same day at Peking with the Emperor, but a day Inter—on the 16th proximo.
The New Governor of Shantung, LIB. Chang Jen-chun, the successor FE. Yuan Blub-kai at Chinan, since taking over his seals some three weeks ago has not, according to the " Universal Gazette," apparently got along very smoothly with his German neighbours at Kiaochou. At any rate, H-E. Chang Jén-chun has found it no easy matter to continue the friendly relations with the Germans which characterised his predecessor's term of office, and the upshot has been that H.E. Chang has secretly memorialised the Throne to either transfer him to another province or remove him altogether from the service.
The Enlightened Governor of Shansi, LO. Tsen Ch'un-hsien, who is now on his way from Taiyuan to meet the Court at Chénting, as already stated in these columns yesterday morning, will probably exchange posts with H.E. Chang Jén-chun, Governor of Shantung, for reasons set forth in the above paragraph, instead of with Governor Li of Kiangsi, as at one time reported in local mandarin circles.
The New Tariff Negotiations, which are ready to be gone into in Sbanghai by the Commissioners of the various countries concerned, it is feared, will have to be delayed a few days owing to the delicate state of health of the Chinese Chief Commissioner, H.E. Director-General Kung-pao, who, according to the Universal Gazette," 1s still suffering from the effects of a severe attack of asthma. The Assistant of H.E. Sheng hung-pao, the "Converted Boxer "—so both Chinese and Foreigners in Tientsin are alleged to have termed him since the Boxer disturbances int that port in 1900—Mr. Huang Chien-yuan, ex-Customs Taotai of Tientsin, has hot, according to local mandarins, either the' position or power to represent the Chief Chinese Commissioner at the proposed negotiations, hence they will have to wait a few days for the convalescence of Director-General Sheng.
The Mahomedan Prince of Turfan, Eastern Chinese Turkestan, Mahomed Beg, is reported by a telegram from Lanchou, capital of Kansu, to have arrived lately in that city en route to Peking to pay New Year congratulations to the Em-error on the first day of the Chinese New ear—Sth February, 1902. There are three Mahomedan' princes in Chinese Turkestan, namely, the prince of Hami, the prince of Kuchar, and the prince of Turfan, above-noted. ' These take turns by rote in coming to Peking for the Chinese New Year festivities, both to pay their congratulations to the Emperor as well as to renew their oath of fealty to his jesty. That is to say, each prince comes once in three years to Peking, bringing "tribute" with him worth at most a couple of hundred taels and carrying back gold and silver, silks and satins, valued usually at Tls. 9,000 or s0. ith December.
-shao, took over the seal of that office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 15th instant.
A Report Concerning the ex-Heir Apparent, Chun, the notorious son of the still more notorious ex-Prince Tuan, is current in native official circles to the effect that when the Imperial decree was, issued at K'aifong the other day, disinheriting him of the Heir-Apparency, as soon as the youth was {informed of it, he seized hold of a small dagger and would have succeeded in cutting his throat in the despair of the moment had not the dagger been snatched away in time.
The Size of the Imperial Train which follows their Majesties the Emperor, Empress Dowager and Empress may he judged by the fact that it took no less than three days for the whole train to be ferried over the Yellow River at Liu-yuan, although nearly sixty barges of various sizes, some able to carry across over a hundred persons, had been provided for the historical event. This, according to a Kiaiféng correspondent, included only those who compose the immediate train of the Imperial party; the Imperial baggage train had already been sent on ahead a couple of weeks befor hand, escorted by a strong force of troops. Whilst the various regiments of the Imperial Guards and numerous other corps selected to watch over the safety of the Court were ferried over the river a few days in advance, and a portion bringing up the rear came after the followers of the Imperial train had been carried across. One need, therefore, scarcely exhibit any surprise to learn that, without taking into account the exorbitant sums demanded from the provincial authorities as bribes by the eunuchs and palace officials, all of which were paid without a murmur, for the sake of the peaceful progress of the Imperial travellers," the actual average cost to the Empire for the maintenance of the Imperial Court and its huge train has so far exceeded Tls. 80,000 a day, commencing with the start from Hsian on the 6th of October. last down to the crossing of the Yellow River at Liuyuan on the 14th of December current.
Reported New Grand Councillor.
Suns Shou (Manchu), Governor of Honan, who, as already' stated in these columns, accompanies the Court to Poking at the special desire of the Empress Dowager, it is reported is intended for post in the Grand Council and may also be appointed Junior Vice-President of the Board of Works.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.