Directory_and_Chronicle_1929 — Page 593

CHINA

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In November, 1908, occurred the death of the Emperor Kwang Hsu, followed a day later by the death of the Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi. This news was unexpected, and there was consequently much suspicion for a time regarding the cause of the dual demise. The public were soon satisfied, however, that the deaths were due to perfectly natural causes. Dying childless, the late Emperor Kwang Hsu, acting in obedience to "the benign mandate" of the Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi, designated as he lay dying a son of Prince Ch'un, his brother, as his successor to the Throne. At the time of his accession the new sovereign was barely three years of age, and Prince Ch'un was ap- pointed to act as Regent during the Sovereign's minority. The events of the past ten years had convinced Tzu Hsi, who had been the virtual ruler since 1895, that the salvation of the country lay in a complete reformation of the Government. Accordingly, from being a reactionary of the worst type, she changed to an ardent advocate of reforın. She promised the nation constitutional government and took steps to initiate the change. In her valedictory address she directed that the occupant of the Throne should fulfil the promises she had made, and the opening of the new reign was marked by a succession of Reform Edicts giving promise of the fulfilment, at last, of the long-cherished hopes for the country's regeneration. Scarcely two years had passed, however, before the country was swept by a revolution vastly different in its purpose from the abortive Boxer rising just eleven years previously. It developed as if by magic although, for many years, there had been reform propaganda in China. In 1895 the Empress Dowager, alarmed by the Emperor Kwang-Hsu's reform proclivities, usurped the Throne, made the Emperor virtually a prisoner in his palace, had many of the leading reformers executed, and put a high price on the heads of all who had escaped out of the country. But notwithstanding the inost rigorous measures which were enforced to suppress the movement, the propaganda was secretly and successfully continued. If hitherto there had been any hesitancy on the part of the Reformers to adopt the abolition of the Manchu monarchy as a plank in their platform, it was now overcome, and a revolutionary campaign was organised in earnest. An upheaval was expected at the time of the infant Emperor's accession to the Throne, and extensive military preparations were made to cope with it. Nothing happened, however. The organisers of the Reformation were not quite ready to attempt the coup de main they contemplated, and it is a fact that when at length the Revolution began, in October, 1911, it broke out prematurely. It started at Wuchang instead of at Canton, which had been regarded as the most likely storm centre; earlier in the year indications of grave discontent had appeared in Canton; the Tartar-General was shot dead in the streets of the city in April, and in the same month a body of reformers, assisted by discontented soldiery, attacked the Viceroy's yamen. His Excellency, however, escaped by a back way, and the insurrection was quelled, largely through the instrumentality of Admiral Li, who consequently got into bad odour among the revolutionaries, with the result that in August an attempt was made on his life. A bomb was thrown at him; three persons were killed and the Admiral was severely wounded. October 24th the new Tartar-General was blown to pieces as he landed at Canton to take up his new command. Earlier in the month there had been a dynamite explosion in the Russian Concession at Hankow, and investigation revealed the existence of an alarming revolutionary plot, which the Viceroy took prompt measures to frustrate. This was the signal for the rising. Some of the troops mutinied, and the Viceroy, as well as the General in command, fled for their lives from Wu- chang. General Li Yuan-hung, who had been second in command of the Imperial troops, with great reluctance and under threat of instant death if he persisted in refusing, put himself at the head of the revolutionary army, which rapidly grew into many thousands. Hanyang with its arsenal and the native city of Hankow were quickly gained by the revolutionists without serious resistance, and before the end of the month Li Yuan-hung informed the Foreign Consuls that he had become President of the Republic of Hupeh. The revolution spread rapidly throughout the Yangtsze Valley, and extended southwards as well as westwards to Tibet. Consternation reigned in Government circles in Peking. The Minister of War, General Yin Chang, hiinself made preparations for an advance on Hankow, to re-take the cities of which the revolutionary troops had so easily possessed themselves. Meanwhile news was constantly arriving of the success of the Revolutionary movement in the provinces. Within six weeks four- teen out of the eighteen provinces of China had declared their independence of Manchu rule. Edicts streamed from the Throne yielding every demand in the Revolutionary pro- gramme short of the abolition of the monarchy. In its desperation the Court turned to Yuan Shih-kai, "the one strong inan of China," who had been driven into retirement two years previously for reasons which are familiar to everyone acquainted with the history

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