The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-01

]
which he complains of the negligence with which
the sfairs of the gram boats are treated. and the
large embezzlements and brides which rum this
important branch of administration. There Is
something paternal in his exhOrtations, which, no
doubt. will be followed by more vigorous measures,
should the mandarins not attend to the remon-
STRANGE.
Apprehensions were entertained that the large
grain junks would not be able to pass the great
canal through Shan.tung. The authorities have
therefore chartered $50 smaller vessels to tighten
them, and carry part of the cargo TO Teen'tsin.
The gradual decrease of the water in the great
canal mas never been satisfactorily explained !;
should it continue, this great aqueduct, the won
der Of the world, will become quite useless.
The captains Of the junks which imported the
grain from Shanghae to Teen-tsin will make good
part OF the loss which their cargOes suffered from
becoming wet on the passage.
Considering the immense quantities OF rice,
wheat, and pulse, which are annually transported
to the capital from all parts of the vast empre the
supe endency OF the grain department at Pekng
must be no slnecure. The officer at the head OF
the granaries is influential man, and his respon-
sbIlity isvery great. Recently there have been
many detalcations in the receipts, and much corn
was said to have been clandestlnely subtracted.
The Director, however, IN a very able paper, has
shown that the deficit Is merely imaginary.
Several pages OF the Peking Gazette are again
filed with long list Of names Of persons recon;
keang,nan and keang-se. 1t is by no means pro-
bable that these wealthy contributors to the pub.
he funds will soon be satisfied In their demands.
SILL the number of claimants for emeluments Is
yearly increasing, and must ultimately press go
heavily upon the administration, as to produce a
catastrophe.
A secretary in a prefecture was, in IS4l, trans
ported tor ten years to the Ele territory for smok
the arsenal and the copper mines, and had been
very successful. As a mitigation Of punishment
was lately granted to convlcts, the authorities APP
piled to the throne to procure for this criminal
m hOxv
ever, would not hear Of 1t, for his aversion to
opium smokers is not yet abated.
The Emperor continues to pay frequent visits to
the Empress Dowager, generally In the morning
after breakfast. The audience gwen to the man,
darns takes place very early often before ocleck,
even IN winter. On such occasions, those officers
who have come on business to the capital, or have
been promoted, are introduced. After slight re-
past, cabinet council is sometimes held, and If
matters are very pressing, another Is convened at
night. The papers which have been received the
previous day are then taken into consideration, and
either Immediately decided upon, sent to the
apectlve boards. with orders for them to report
thereon. The final decision, however, depends
entirely on the council, and is written by the En-
peror, with the veImilon pencil, In very short
fences; If an ordinary matter. 1t is published in
the Picking Gazette; # on business which concerns
the country at large the sovereign himself issues
mandate; II mere state affair, circulars are ad-
dressed to the VARIOUS parties interested; THIS is
ment is sent to the Board of War, with sentence
written on slip of paper, specifying the number of
days allowed for it to reach its destination and the
couriers are instantly despatched. Il seldom hap
are judiclousy. placed, and the whole system is
regulated like clockwoIk. Any matter laid before
the council Is Immediately attended to, and num-
bers OF secretaries are always in watingthe most
experienced, ploddIng, and trustworthy men that
can be found amongst the mandarins.
The names of those members of the Privy Coun-
Gil present at the deliberations are mentioned in
the Gazette. Thus we find Paou-tsng and Kwang-
yin on the list on the LIST August, and on LIST Sep.
TENDER Ke: ying, Koo.ching, soo.too-lee, &c. All
reformed without the slightest deviation from
established usage but It frequently happens that
the routine is strictly followed, while the matter
itself is overlooked.
The Chinese constitution Of government is a
consistent despotsm there is but one master and
lord, the Emperor, the others being merely his
| only such by favor; and no honors or emoluments
can be conferred without his express sanction. 1t
| is true there is a numerous class OF hereditary
nobility; but the title bequeathed from father to son
IS considered as of little value unless the Emperor
adds fresh lustrc to 1t by new decree or grant
hest Of the scons of the imperial clan the great.
er portion of the Mantchoo and Mogul chiefs, and
| a considerable number of the Chinese hereditary
mobiles, have as little influence in The affairs of state
as those who lately. acquired their rank by pur-
chase 1t is very lar from being the wish of govern
ment that the mobiles should occupy situations oil
trust, and consequently few will be found in the
lists Of high military or naval officers, attached
to the civil service. 1t would seem If the En-
peror were afraid they might ultimately become
too powerful, and usurp those .prerogatlves which
! ought only to belong to royalty. decree has
lately been issued, prohibiting them from holding
more than one office at time, and directing that
great caution should be used In conferrlng appoint
ments.