AFFAIRS, The Crisis. ist November, 21st Nov
In accordance with instruct i from Peking the Tartar Generale View! and Governors of the Yangtze and maritime Provinces have lately been very busy in raising extra troops, reviewing garrisons, and sending arms and ammunition to. important cities and towns within their several Tartar General of Nanking, H. E. K'uei jurisdictions. The other day the Acting Fang, having inspected the Manchu troops of that city went on to Chinkiang to do the same with the Manchu regiments garrisoning that city and vicinity. It is reported that H. E. was much pleased with the discipline and efficiency of the Chinkiang Banner, or Manchu troops, and gave out to the men that'as the present crisis was most uncertain it behaved every one to be prepared to fight for the Empire at any moment. The Admiral of the Yangtze is also inspecting the troops under his command and has issued a large quantity of new arms and ammunition to a number of regiments whose arms he found to be of the older patterns. Instructions, have also been sent by Viceroy Wei of Nanking to the military officials in Tsingkiangpu. on the Grand Canal, Hsi-ichoufu, and Huaianfu to raise extra regiments without delay. The reason given out however is not the imminence of a rupture with Russia, but the possibility of the rerolutionary societies in the Yangize provinces taxing advantage of the uncertainty of the Manchurian crisis to create disturbances in the riverine treaty ports. The Governor at Soochow has also, we learn from a reliable source, ordered the raising of extra troops for whom new arms and ammunition have already been provided. From Hangchow comes the news also of considerable military activity and that a large quantity of arms and ammunition have been sent t¢ ningpo.
Proposed New Capital of China.
It is stated in mandarin circles that Hsian, the capital of Shensi province, is to be renamed Ch'angan (City of Eternal Peace) which was the former name of Hsian when it was the capital of China, thousand and more years ago during the Tang dynasty. Further that Fan Tseng-hsiang, who his deen sent back to Hsian once more as Provincial Judge of Shensi, is to be made Puyin," or Governor of the new capital. There does not seem to be much doubt. in official minds at the present moment that Peking is soon to be abandoned once more by the Court. no matter how the Manchurian crisis-may turn out.
Russia: in-want of funds.
When the Peking University was started the Central Government deposited five million taels with the Russo-Chinese Bank in the capital in the name of the University to pay for the construction of the buildings and contingent penses. It is. stated now for this money, as China owed Russia an indemnity for the Boxer disturbances of 1900 the money now lying in the Russo-Chinese Bank in the name of the Peking University, ought to be used in paying Russia for a portion of the 1900 Indemnity. "To this application the Waiwupu is said to have made a decided reply in the negative.
The Governor. of Chinese Turkestan, according to a Peking dispatch, asked permission recently from the Waiwupu to borrow from some "Russian merchants" one million taels which was a sine qui non if he {the Governor) was to obey the commands of the Central Government to raise more troops in Chinese Turkestan to stop the encroachments of the Muscovite in that portion of the Imperial dominions. The curious proposition to borrow from Russians the mens of stopping Russians from encroaching upon China did not however tickle the fancy even of the old fogies in the Waiwupu, which immediately sent a curt reply that'such a Toan was not to be thought of.
The Crisi mandarindom. was quite excited on Saturday when it was learned from Peking telegrams that news bad been received from Moukden to the effect that the Taotais, prefects, sub-prefects, and district magistrates of the three Manchurian provinces had been notified by Russian officials to vacate their ramons within five weeks after the 13th of Notember. The Manchurian mandarins were further notified that' if they complied with the Russian orders they would be ead paid $100 for expenses to return to Peking, safe-conduct passports being also issued to the evicted mandarins. If any mandarin disobeyed be would be arrested, his goods confiscated, and he and his family possibly anished to Saghalien island.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.