June 10, 1907.]
Shetland Pony. This pace Professor EWART, is seemingly entitled to specific rank.
We apparently learn from the distri- bution of the horse past and present some- thing which many
prove useful in ethnography. The Mongol Pony clearly had his origin prior to the European Ice- Age in western Europe; so had the mem- moth and the reindeer. When the climate of Europe became too hot, all three mi- grated, and we find they must have passed through Siberia; the mammoth certainly baving his last home in China. With these animals likewise emigrated the human race of the European Cave-Dweller, and we like- wise find his remain in that peculiar type of men whom some ethnographers ridicu. lously love to call "Mongolians," who im- pend all over Northern Asia, and whom HERODOTUS denominated Arimaspians.
VICEROY SHUM AGAIN.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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375
Imperial edict transla ed by us above Tsêu Ch'un-hsuan has been sent out of Poking and appointed to, of all places, his old post of the Two Kuang Viceroyalty, where he is so much a few months ago for Shanghai, there was ge- disliked by the people that when he left Canton neral rejoicing in that city; some persous, it is stated, even going so far as to offer thanksgiving sacrifices at the temples to celebrat, his Excel- lency's departure. Under the circumstances the return to Canton of Viceroy Tiêu, who has
will be doubtless viewed with apprehension by been now made the substantive Viceroy of the Two Kang (he was Acting Viceroy before) his opponents in the South. There may, how- ever, be a reason for his Excellency's appoint. ment to the Southern Viceroyalty owing to the recent activity of the secret societies there, in which case a strong man is wanted, which Vice- roy Chou Fu is not."
14
AGAINST PHONETICISM.
(Daily Press, 4th June),
It appears that the mania for spelling reform, which has set in in England and America, is not confined to thoss countries. A similar movement has for some time been
| that SHUM will actually return; but here agnin our inferences may be destroyed by events. We may, however, call particular attention to the conclusion of the Edict. Saux is "firmly requestel," which probably means peratively commanded, not to decline" the re-appointment. This looks as if there had been some expectation that he would do so, some overt indication, even, of his reluctance to remark about his native place" Kwangai leave Peking. The next
is only a province under your control and jurisdiction; it is not necessary
for you to shirk your duty because you are a native of that province"-suggests more. over that SHUм had actually raised that plea for exemption. His Imperial Majesty peremptorily dis- Then, finally,
misses SHUM's application for sick leave. We were justified, it seems, in declaring that SHUM would dislike the idea of returning to Canton, as he disliked the idea of going to Szechwan. Ha evaded of subterfuge the latter by a truly remarkable course believe in his cleverness and obstinacy going on in France where certain persons
and effrontery, and sufficiently not to be surprised if he fails to come to Cantou after all. When he was
have organised themselves into an Associa Viceroy of the two Kwang he tried re-
tion for the purpose of obtaining what they peatedly to get away, and
term a reform of the French language. times foiled in a somewhat amusing man-fluous letters, and to adopt a spelling which was several Their chief object is to do away with super- ner. There were those in Peking who will be as far as possible purely phonetic. if he should get nearer the scene of their were afraid of his power and influence In the main the movement is very much the activities, the backstairs at Peking, for England and
same as that which has taken place in personal ambitions
America, in the former tionaries from pulling together.
prevent the reac- country with very small results except in is our valient friend and faithful servant the comical incident of the President Here shorthand but which, in the litter, led to applying for release from duty, that he may sending the manuscript of his Message to come Empress-Dowager would say, and those form, which however did not prove accept- to pay his respects to Us," the Cingress to the papers in the reformed around would make answer: is the best man your Majesty has. Just without condescending to any explanations, "Truly he able to the editors of the journals, who
dominions, so near to the place temporarily it is ordinary unimprovel spelling.
at such an important part of your promptly translated the document and gava occupied by the barbarians, you need the thus there used to come south, in answer strogest and best arm you have." And to his petitious, enthusiastic tributes of Imperial praise, coupled, alas, with orders tier sometimes finds it better to praise to stay where he was. The Chinese cour- than to impeach a man. SHUMм's appoint- ment to Szechwan seems to have been due to a strong series of impeachments following convenient illu sses, pious divagations, the railway fi8co in Kwangtung; but by and by patintly marking time, he put off that fate until he could safely get at te Imperial ear, and was then reward d with favourable access to his Patroness.
a. post as he desired, with been overworking his privilege, and the result in all probability is this re-appoint ment to Canton. It is hoped that he will be as successful now as he was when ordered to the Far West.
now,
(Daily Press, 3rd June). The unlikely thing has actually hap. pened. Viceroy SHUM has been ordered to resume the reins of government of the Liang Kwang. Our Canton correspondent forwards a translation of an Imperial Edict telegraphically received on May 30th, which dispels the doubts as to the probability of such re-appointment, to which doubts we gave expression in our issue of May 31st. Not only is SHUм ordered to return to Can- ton, but the reasons given are reasons which we expressly mentioned as improbable. The more Chinese politics are studied, the more bewildered may the student be. Sir ROBERT HART's remark is on record, that the more experience of the Chinese he gains. the less he feels inclined to dogmatise about them and their methods; and the paradox is by no means stretched. The thing that seems most unlikely, after putting two and two together, is the thing that may really occur, in China, as is the case now. SHUM's re-appointment to Canton was considered most unlikely. He was known to be anxious to maintain a position nearer to the Throne, and we have had examples of the way in which SHUM's own predilections have a knack of being gratified. The possibility of such re-appointment was not denied, for SHUM has had an unwanted appointment before, and in the light of his previous doings, and his "at least nominal disgrace,' we suggested that he might be found to have been ordered "a sort of gilded exile." In his eyes, Carton is exile as much nearly as Szechwan was, but the pill has certainly been gilded well this time. His Imperial such Master, who is, of course, merely echoing the Empress Dowager, and probably against his own sympathy or antipathy, praises SHUM's stern qualities, his guber- Datorial strength, his reputation and ex- perience, bis sincerity and persevering diligence in face of difficulties, and tells him he is the one mau whom the central Go- vernment has turned to in what it regards as a serious emergency. No Government servant could hope for a higher testimonial than this telegraphed Edict as translated; and Viceroy SHUM should be re-entering Canton with flourish of trumpets to the confusion of his enemies and the dumb. foundering of our venturespine prognostica. tions. But is he? We have gone astray once with our deductions concerning the reported re-appointment, and do not propose to abandon an attitude of modest doubt ut the present juncture. We thought the re- appointment extremely unlikely; it has been made. The reasons given for t seemed still more unlikely; they have been re-iterated, We think it unlikely
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Since the foregoing was written, we have received a copy of the N.-C. Daily News which contains the following, for which Chinese correspondent is responsible: our northern contemporary's well-informed
the conduct of II. c. Tsen Ch'un-hsuen [sham] "As already repeatedly noted in this column in Peking has brought him so many enemies that no chance was lost to get him sent out of the Capital. In fact we had doubts whether
long as three months in Peking after his indi. his Excellency would be allowed to remain as oriminate denunciations against all manner of bigh officials, good, bad and indifferent. Indeed so much was Tse a man of reckless impulse that even men of high ability and integrity did not escape his wholesale denunciations. some cases he repeated of his actions-when it was too late and he dared not recall his words with ignominity. As will baseen in the seventh for fear of being himself cashiered and dismissed
In
|
Mous. Bertholet of the A alémie Fran- çaise contributes a very learned and ex- haustive article on Revue des deux mondes in which he succeeds the subject to the in showing that the alterations proposed lead to endless contusion. would serve no useful purpose and would further and points out that any attempt to He indeed goes intro-tuce the proposed reformed spelling under the authority of the Head of the especially with examinations would be Education Department and iu connection a serious injustice and could not be allowed in a free country-to say nothing of the injustice which would also be inflicted upon the publishers of stand ird works, who if the would be compelled to reprint a large new system were established by authority, number of works.
A point which is of special interest to readers in China is referred to by M. Bertholet in discussing the general merits of the question. He proves conclusively that in European languages just as in Chinese there have always been two distinct form— the written and the spoken, and that the
former has never been either in its nature been considered a peculiarity of Chinese, but or origin really phonetic. This has generally it is shown that exactly the same principle that "pplies to that language is also to be Upon this he observes that the principle found in the languages of European countries. upon which the reformers chiefly raly is that of phonography, that is the necessity of establishing an exact conformity between words and their pronunciation. They say that writing is the representation of the sound of the spoken word-the image of the historically is shown to have begun by a voice, an opinion contrary to fact, as writing
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