Caanors in the higher official posts of the Empire during the period under review have been rendered necessary by vacancies caused by death and for other reasons. The year's obituary list includes the names of Tai Hung-tze, Grand Councillor and member of the Grand Secretariat, (February 22) and Lu Choan-lin, also a member UN of the same bodies (August 23). The former was succeeded in each capacity by Hsu Shih-chang. Toan Fang who had been relieved of his post as Metropolitan Viceroy after the funeral of the Emperor and Empress Dowager has remained en retraite throughout the year Chun Kuei-lung, his successor st Tientsin, is now anxious to resign his position. The Canton Viceroy, Yuan Shu-hsun, obtained leave to resign after a somewhat stormy tenure of office and was led by Chang Ming-chi, promoted from the Governorship of Kuangsi. Tib Liang, Minister of War, was also removed from the active list and made way for General Yin Chang, who had been Chinese Minister in Berlin.
With General Yin Chang and Prince Tsai Hsun in charge respectively of military and naval affairs, these departments of state have shown special activity at least on paper thronghout the year. Prince Tsai Hsun bad undertaken an extensive tour abroad, from which he returned during the year and then paid a flying visit to America, In spite of many rumours, no great scheme of naval construction hes been embarked upon as yet by China. The reorganization of the two services, however, was advanced by an Edict issued' on December 4 creating separate Ministries for the two departments, which had hitherto been grouped in one. Yin Chang became Minister of War, with Shou Hein Vice-Minister; while Prince Tsai Hsun was appointed Minister of Marine, with T'an Hsueh-hong Vice-Minister, Admiral Sah Chén-ping being kept on the active list as Commander of the Yangtze Squadron. It is felt that in General Yin Chang the Peking Government has a strong and able member, but it has yet to be seen whether the Chinese system of administration, involved as it is in Palace and Ministerial intrigue, will anyone to take a prominent and consistent role in Peking affairs.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.