Directory_and_Chronicle_1883 — Page 317

I

CHINA.

REIGNING SOVEREIGN AND FAMILY,

Kuang Sü, Emperor of China, is the son of Prince Ch'un, the seventh son of the Emperor Tao Kuang; hence he is cousin to the late Emperor Tang Chi, who died without issue on the 12th day of January, 1875, from small-pox.

"J

*

The proclamation announcing the accession of the present sover ign was as follows: Wher as His Maj sty the Emperor ha as ended upon the Dragon to be a guest on high, without offspring lorn to bis inheritance, no course has been open but that of causing Tsai-Tien, son of the Prince of Ch'un, to become adopted as the son of the Emperor Wêng Tsung Hien (Hien Fung) and to enter upon the inheritance. of the great dynastic liue as Emperor by succession. Therefore, let Tsai Tien, son of Yih Huan, the Prince of Ch'uu, become adopted as the son of the Emperor Wên Tsung Hien, and enter upon the inheritance of the great dynastic line as Emperor by succes....... sion,' The present sovereign is the ninth Emperor of China of the Tartar dynasty of Ta-tsing, (Sublime Purity) which succeeded the native dynasty of Ming in the year 1644

There exists no law of hereditary succession to the throne, but it is left- to each sovereign to appoint his successor from among the members of his family. The late Emperor, dying suddenly, in the eighteenth year of his age, did not designate a successor, and it was in consequence of a palace intrigue, directed by the late Empress Dowager, widow of the Emperor Hien Fu: g, predecessor of Tung Chi, in concert with Prince Ch'un, that the infant son of the latter was declared Emperor and another- long Regency, prolonging the rule of the two Empresses Dowager, inaugurated.

GOVERNMENT AND REVENUE.

The fundamental laws of the empire are laid down in the Ta tsing Huei-tien, or Collected Regulations of the Great Pure Dynasty, which prescribe the government of the State as based upon the government of the family. The Emperor is spiritual as well as temporal sovereign, and, as bigh priest of the Empire, can alone, with his immediate representatives and ministers, perform the great religious cere- monies. No ecclesiastical hierarchy is maintained at the public expense, nor any priesthood attached to the Confucian or State religion.

The administration of the empire is under the supreme direction of the Interior Council Chamber, comprising four members, two of Tartar and two of Chinese origin, besides two assistants from the Hau-lin, or Great College, who have to see that. nothing is done contrary to the civil and religious laws of the empire, contained in the Ta-tsing Huei-tien, and in the sacred books of Confucius. These members are denominated Ta Hsio-sz, or Ministers of State. Under their orders are the Li Pu or six boards of government, each of which is presile l over by a Tartar and Chinese.. They are (1) The board of civil appointment, which takes cognisance of the conduct and aiministration of all civil officers; (2) The board of revenues, regulating all. financial affairs; (3) The board of rites and ceremonies, which enforces the laws and customs to be observed by the people; (4) The miliary board, sup rit tending the administration of the army; (5) The board of public works; and (6) The high tribu al of criminal jurisdiction. To these must be added the Tsung-li Yamên, or board of foreign affairs. Independent of the Government and theoretically above the central administration, is the Tu-cha Yuan, or beard of public censors. It consists of from 40 to 50 members, under two presidents, the one of Tartar and the other of Chinese birth. By the ancient cus'om of the empire, all the members of this board are privileged to present any remonstrance to the sovereign. One censor must be pre- sent at the meetings of each of the six gov rnment bords.

The estimates of the public revenue of China vary greatly, and, while they are statel by some to exceed 100 millions sterling, are held by others not to come up to half that amount. Official returns of the Chinese Government, published in 1844, stated the annual revenue at that time at Tls. 191,803,139, or £63,934,713. Accor1- ing to the m, morials from officials published in the Peking Gazette, it would appear that there are almost constant d ficits, which the governors and high officia's of

pro-