CHINA-PEKING
691
The year 1915 will be memorable in China for the Japanese ultimatum following the non-acceptance by China of the twenty-one demands presented by the Tokyo Government. China had, of course, to bow to force majeure and the 7th of May is to be remembered as a day of National Humiliation. These demands not only embraced long-outstanding questions from the Japanese point of view but fresh claims in respect of the German expulsion from Shantung and others based upon expanding Japanese interests in Fukien and in the Yangtsze Valley. A second Domestic Loan in the early- part of the year for $24,000,000 was not quite so successful as its predecessor, but, happily, the yield from the Salt Gabelle exceeded anticipations and several amounts which had been ear-marked under the terms of the Re-organisation Loan, such as. indemnity claims and sums for Salt Administration reforms, were liberated, thus helping the Government to tide over its more pressing needs.
An unexpected development of the Revolution was manifested about the middle of the year when an organisation known as the Chou An Huei was formed for the purpose of discussing the form of Government best adapted to this country. While claiming only academic interest in the discussion of the question, the Chou An Huei was unmistakably in favour of a reversion to monarchy, and the fact that it was. allowed to continue its propaganda certainly lent verisimilitude to the belief that the President was not wholly opposed to the objects for which it stood. An opposition organisation known as the Chih An Huei soon followed, but it encountered all kinds of difficulties which hampered the spread of its opinions.
Curiously enough, the Monarchical movement had, or seemed to have, its inception. in a memorandum written by Professor Goodnow, constitutional advisor to the Pre- sident, in which he discussed the relative merits of a Republic or a Monarachy as. applied to conditions in China. This document was utilised in support of the Monar- chical movement with some show of reason, although this result may not have been anticipated by the Professor when he prepared it. Petitions followed from high officials and certain public bodies throughout the Provinces, and these, viewed as important expressions of public opinion, were presented to the State Council, which decided that these could only be dealt with by a properly-elected organ such as the Citizens' Convention. The elections for this body took place in October, and resulted in a unanimous vote in favour of inviting Yuan Shih-kai to ascend the Dragon throne of China. After exhibiting some reluctance Yuan consented to accede to the urgent appeals which were addressed to him on the subject. The Coronation ceremony however, was postponed in deference to a suggestion from Japan and the other Allied. Powers that no step should be taken which might give rise to disturbance in China, though the Government declared its ability to cope with any disorderly elements. The proposed change was further delayed by an insurrectionary movement which broke out.
in Yunnan and spread to several of the neighbouring provinces, but instructions were issued for the early introduction of a Constitution.
PEKING
天順 Shun-tien
The present capital of China was formerly the Northern capital only, as its nams denotes, but it has long been really the metropolis of the Central Kingdom. Peking ie situated on a sandy plain 13 miles S. W. of the Pei-ho river, and about 110 miles from its mouth, in latitude 39 deg, 54 min. N. and longitude 116 deg. 27 min. E., or nearly on the parallel of Naples. A canal connects the city with the Pei-ho. Peking is ill- adapted by situation to be the capital of a vast Empire, nor is it in a position to become a great manufacturing or industrial centre. The products of all parts of China naturally find their way to the seat of Government, but it gives little save bullion in
return.
From Dr. Dennys' description of Peking we quote the following brief historical sketch: "The city formerly existing on the site of the southern portion of Peking was the capital of the Kingdom of Yan. About 222 B.C., this kingdom was over- thrown by the Chin dynasty and the seat of Government was removed elsewhere. Taken from the Chins by the Khaitans about 930 A.D., it was some two years after- wards made the southern capital of that people. The Kin dynasty, subduing the