The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-30 00:00:00

DEATH OF THE EMPEROR OF CHINA.

A telegram from Shanghai announces that the
Emperor of China died on the 12th inst. The deceased
monarch was born in April, 18:)6, and was consequently
not yet nineteen years of age. He succeeded to the
throne in August, 1861, on the death of his father, the
dowager Enopreises acting as Regents. In October,
1872, he was married to the daughter of a Doctor of
the Imperial Academy, and came to the throne in
February, 1873. One of his first public acts was to
receive the representatives of Foreign Powers, thus
settling a question which had for a long time been
under discussion. His successor is a prince five years
of age.
The Times of Wednesday has the following reference to
the Emperor's death :

From the far East intelligence reached London
yesterday of the death of`T'oung-chih, the Monarch of
the Celestial Empire, at the age of scarcely 19. The
youthful Emperor now deceased was born on the 27th
of April, 1856, according to European reckoning, and
succeeded to the throne on his father's death on the
21st of August, 1861, though he actually reigned only
since the month of February, 1873, the date at which
he was formally declared of age. T'oung-chih mar.
ried in October, 1872, A-lou-t4, daughter of
Kh'oung-khi, Rector of the Academy of Pekin,
who was thereupon elevated to the rank and dignity
of a Duke. A writer in " Chaniber's Encyclo-
pmdia " states that "in the centralised, autocratic
Government of China the Emperor is absolute in the
Empire, the Governor in the Province, and the magis-
trate in the province. The Etnperor claims no heredi-
tary Divine right, and it is not always the eldest
son of the preceding Monarch; the ablest son is
nominated, but his right to the throne -as the
Teen-tze or Tien-tze, "son of heaven," and the Fung-
tien, " divinely•appointed," can only be established
by good government, in accordance with the principles
laid down in the national sacred books. If, on the
contrary, he violates these principles, the peoplefirmly
believe that Heaven signifies, by unmistakable signs,
that their ruler is not its chosen representative." The
Emperor is assisted in governing by two councils :-
1. The Inner or Privy Council, composed of six high ,
officials, three of whom are Chinese and three Mant-
chus, also ten assistants. The four senior Ministers
exercise functions corresponding to those of an English
Prime Minister. 2, The General or Strategical
Counc.l, which closely resembles our Cabinet, being
composed of the most influential officers in the
capital, who exercise high legislative and executive
duties. The decisions of the Emperor in Council are
regularly published in the Pekin Gazette. Mr. Martin
tells us in the "Statesman's Year Book" that the area
of the Chinese Empire, including its dependent
con, tries of Thibet, Mongolia, &c., amounts to up-
wards of 199,000 square miles, containing a popula-
tion estimated at little short of 390 millions of souls.

Mr. Samuel Morley, M.P., presiding at the annual
meeting of the Local Young Men's Christian Association, at
Bristol, said that he had seen the exceeding value in London
of the working of such a body. Up to the time of its estab-
lishment there was no class in the metropolis more neglected
than those persons employed in the various warehouses and
shops. Now, however, he did not know any community
there of any consideration which had not, in addition to
othvr nouciva of Po %club, A 701 pg locioty, ,