24th October.
Nanking to take the Place of Peking.
As may have been seen from news previously published in these columns at various times with regard to the vital question of selecting a place to hold the Biennial and Triennial examinations for the highest degrees, such as those for M.A., Doctor, Hanlin, ete., which, according to the Peace Protocol, were prohibited from being held jin Peking for five years owing to the antiforeign disturbances in the North last year, it will be remembered that, at one time, it was proposed to hold the examinations next year at K'uiftng, the new Metropolis of the Empire; at another, Chinan, the capital of Shantung, and yet another cither at Nanking or at Hangchow, the provincial capitals of Kiangsu and Ché- kiang, respectively. There was seemingly acertain degree of hesitancy at first amongst the Empress Dowager's reactionary councillors in settling the question, due to the fact that, as the prohibition by the Foreiga Powers of the higher examinations at Peking for five years was meant 2s a punishment upon the country for its anti-foreign proclivities, it was feared that the Powers would naturally start up and prohibit these examinations from being held elsewhere, as it only remained a question of travelling longer or shorter istances for the candidates who used to flock to Peking for these competitions two and three years. The prohibition being understood to be intended to be a general punishment the choosing of some other spot for the examinations would, it was thought, certainly be prohibited also. Here ogum, however, the diplomacy of Viceroy Li Hung-chang has saved the situation for the Chinese, for to all intents and purposes the Foreign Ministers at Peking have made no protest, nor are likely to do so, according to that shrewd and diplomatic Viceroy. 1 view is now supported by the news contained in a telegram from Peking to a high mandarin temporarily residing here to the effect that Viceroy Li Hung-chang had a few days ago memorialised the Throne, strongly rec mending the holding of the examinations for the M.A. r degrees next year at Nanking in preference to any other of the Empire, in place of Peking. The telegram also stated that a favourable Rescript from the Emperor may be "taken as a certainty," and that already instructions have been transmitted to Nanking, in anticipation, ordering the repairing and extension of the examination halls in that city—everything to be ready by the spring of next year.
Italy wants a Share also.
The "Universal Gazette" reports that Italy is trying its best to procure from China concession to construct a railway between Hangchow in Chekiang province and chang in Kiangsi. "Apropos of this we further learn that the region through which the above railway is intended to run is replete om either side of the route with rich mineral and coal deposits. These are the financial reasons. AS Fealy will give ker the foundation for laying li tical reasons, the concession aimed at by
claim to those two provinces as her share of any future partition of the Empire. This is what the Chinese officials at Peking and at Court know perfectly well, hence there is much hesitation in granting Italy's request.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.