22
THE EMPEROR AND THE THREAT- ENED OCCUPATION, OF PEKING-FLIGHT OR SUICIDE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
man to be Emperor and to look after the "sacred altars of Our ancestors and wipe "off this disgrace.""
This sounds well and is undoubtedly high minded and unselfish, but we should have. The Imperial Edict the substance of which more hope for China and for the EMPEROR if instead of this meek if not unheroic self- has been published by our Shanghai morning renunciation, he bal turned indignantly contemporary, said to be a reply to a upon his advisers and upon those who
bad the conduct of
the war memorial by certain officials' suggesting the bave removal of the capital of China westward, is and summarily degraded and dismissed them from office and power. Unfortunately certainly a remarkable document. There
it is too evident that His Majesty is not is something pathetic about the whole cir-made of sufficiently stern material to thus cumstances. The young EMPEROR, a pale take the reins into his hands, and shake and melancholy youth, brought up in the himself free from Court guidauce and con- strict seclusion of the Court, without any trol. He is what his education and training knowledge of the world save the very limited have made him weak and helpless. The enervating influences of the harem have glimpses of it ob ainable from, the few books rendered him a mere puppet, in spite of at his disposal, always taught to regard him-aspirations for a larger ex stemme, He is to self as the divinely appointe I ruler of the be pitied rather than blimed; but none the greatest country and people in Asia, the Snless it is clear that not through the Em- of Heaven, Lord of the Dragon Throne, peror's instrumentality will China work out her political salvation. The Empire is even and other high-sounding titles, is sud-
now tottering, and unless supported by the denly and cruelly disillusionised by the stru Western Powers it must surely fall. The logic of facts. After systematic attempts to elements of revolution exist within. Tue blind him by mendacious reports of Chinese officials pull all ways, as their present in terest may dictate. Each province is for victories, the naked truth at length reaches itself and not for the Empire. The Central bis ears, and he finds that the desired Wo-Government, comparatively strong in time jen have triumphed in every step of the cam- of peace, is now shaken like a reed, and paign, both by land and mea that the receives no effective support from the pro- Chinese troops have been defeated and dis-vincial administrations. The Nanyang Squa- dron, so often summoned north to the support of the Peivang Squadron, has steadily declined to leave the Yan tsze. The appeal for funds has begu very lamely re- sponded to.
48
66
!
The province of Kwangtung, which might readily find five times the sum, has not yet subscribed the five million tarts asked for, in spits of strenuous efforts on the part of the provincial officials to beat up sub- scriptions. The Viceroys are more bent on consolidating their own
power than
on
Prince KUNG
[January 9, 1895.
take temporary administration of this vast Empire to prevent it falling a prey to disorder as it is now a prey to corruption ?
WILL THE JAPANESE ATTAUK CANTON?
THE destination of the Third Japanese Army Corps, preparations for the despatch of which from Hiroshima have for some tine past been in progress, still remains a secret. It was expected that the Corps would be ready to leave a fortnight ago, but no news of its departure has as yet come to hand. The question of its probable destination is discussed by the Kobe Chronicle, two theories being put forward, one that the additional army is intended for Formosa, and the other that it will land in the neighbourhood of Shan-hai-kwan, aud, after engaging the forces now assembled at that point, will co- operate with the First and Second Arwies on the march to Peking. Our contemporary second theory, but is of favours the opinion that previous to the reinforce- ment of the armies now in the field, the Third Army Corps will undertake the To discussing capture of Wei-hai-wei. the probability of Formosa being the objec tive, the Chronicle says:" It seems from "the first to have been the belief of the Chinese that a descent on Formosa was in- tended, and in consequence the authorities have for some time been engaged in reinforcing the defending force. On the "other hand it is argued that it would be 'superfluous for Japan to send an army conquer. Formosa, as if successful she could include the cession of the island in the indemnity without going to the trouble of first sending an arm “down to forcibly occupy it, and at a time *when much better use can be made of her
*
+4
"
*
persed, and that the enemy are now advang ing towards his capital. It is interesting to note that His Majesty had in his mind the wish and intention to introduce reforms, "When We first took charge of the affairs of
the empire,e says,
"it was Our inten. tion to introduce many reforms." But he
troops. It may be pointed out, however, that Japan may consider that she will have seems to see that the opportunity for doing
more chance of being allowed by the so has gone by. Alluding to the present
Powers to hold Formosa if forcible posses- war, be plaintively remarks: Sud.assisting the Imperial Government. LI HAN-
CHANG has just raised two thousand troops "sion is taken during war time than if she denly and unexpectedly the Japanese in his native province, Anhwei, for er-
asks for the cession of the island as part have broken the peace,
taken away vico in Whampoa aul Canton, and has of the indemnity to be paid by China. our Korean dependency, and taken despatched a thousand Cantonese troops "Nevertheless, we are inclined to believe The object of this piece of genero "that though a descent on Formosa is possession of the borders of our empire. north.
ultimately contemplated, Japan could We
bave sent our generals with their sity seems more likely to be the security of his own person than a patriotic desire to help
scarcely risk at the present time the dis- armies to punish the Japanese and drive to resist the invasion of Manchuria. The patch of a large army south, where it them away, but we never intended to dis- EMPEROR has at the present in ment scarcely would not be immediately available to reinforce the armies now engaged on the turb the peace of the Japanese empire, a soul on whom he can lean.
mainland." Probably our contemporary This our ancestors and foreign nations all no doubt possesses the will, but he has not
the power to do more than issue commands is correct, but at the same time it would kaow. Little did We expect that the
that may or may not be olered. LI HUNG- not be a very great surprise if events should generals were incompetent and the soldiers CHANG, the erstwhile potent Viceroy of Chihli, turn out otherwise. It is possible that in insubordinate, so that the Japanese gained now so fallen that few today will do him re- view of the difficulty of operating in the victory after victory and place after place, verence, is utterly discredited, the corrupt North during the winter a diversion in 'till our ancestors in their very graves are tools with whom he worked having proved the South may really be intended, the faithless and intrustworthy. He is proba-advance on Peking being delayed until a disturbed. This is because We are unworthy bly retained in his position only because botime of the year when the troops would suf- “and have employed unfit men.' The young cannot be superseded together without still fer less from the extreme cold] than during Means the next two or three months. The Chronicle Emperor has here put his finger on the im further hampering the Executive. mediate cause of all the national disasters, time the one hope for China is the conclusion tells us that the plan of campaign adopted is but probably even yet be is unable to per- of terms of peace before the Japanese reach not that of a rapid march to the capital, but ceive that the system of government is pri- Peking. Will the newly appointed Envoys the occupation of the whole country from marily responsible for the appointment of saccord in the task set them? We doubt it. the Yalu to the Peibo and from the coast to the men who by their corruption and in- The Japanese armies are stadily if slowly Peking. In the meantime, however, peaco competence have betrayed the Empire. The pressing on, and there is little in the speech negotiations are on the point of being opedel, Emperor KWANG SU has to bear the conse-of the MIKADO at the opening of the Diet and Japan might think it would be good quences, but he is really the victim of cir- to indicate any strong likelihood of an early policy, as a means of rendering China more cumstances, not the person on whom the settlement, while the Japanese Press are amenable to the Japanese demands, to make a blame should rightfully fall. But he pis- urging a more vigorous prosecution of the brilliant dash at the South, instead of expend- sively accepts the position, and with true war, with the evident hope and intentioning all her force on the slow operations in the Oriental apathy an fat lism resigns him that Peking is the go to which the Japan- North. If that should be the view taken it is possible that Canton rather than For- self to perish at the post of duty, which he ese troops are bound. And if that be the conceives to be to guard the sacred altars. case, and if the Emperor KWANG SU remain mosa might be the point of attack, for the a heavy If, says be the worst should come and the obstinately determine to die at his post fall of Canton would be felt as
Government and Japanese get possession of the sacred altars," rather than seek safety in flight, is not a cata- blow by the Peking
their desire to make then there remains nothing for Us but to strophe inevitable? Is there any hope for would increase "perish with them. When that time comes China within her own bounds? And, if not, may you reverently escort the Empress how are foreign interests to be safeguarded? Dowager westward and elect a worthy Are the Treaty Powers prepared to under.
on any terms. The Japanese, more- peace over, will want to hold Chinese territory for a time as a guarantee for the execution
: