The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-16

throne. This position they have ever since main
tanned although the proportion OF the invading race
TO the native population was and stun ls even less
India. The best regular troops and some OF the CHIEF
officers Tarars, but the large majority Of Manda-
rims are Chinese and the ordinary provincial govern
ments usually intrusted to Chinese administra-
ton. Whether the instruction took its rise in any
deliberate scheme for the subverson OF the Mantchoo
power, Is more than we can learn. We are disposed
to think on the whole, that the political character Of
the rebellion was rather acquired in the progress OF
events than conceived at the outset but Of late it has
been clear that the views Of the insurgents comprised
the dethronement of the reigning Emperor in favor
Of prince of their own selection. Their camp soon
included king, and it understood that the royal
would be exchanged for the imperial style soon as
the rebellion had been contaminated by the capture
OF the capital. We are not aware that any dynasty
OF hereditary claims represented in the person Of
the Pretender. His name is Tienteh, but from the
information reaching us, we are inclined to
surnise that the identity of this parsonage has not
been preserved, and that two or three kings have
been set up in the course of the rebellion. All we
safely infer is, that the insurgents contemplate
the enforcement of some prince whom they carry
with them ia the place of the legitimate sovereign.
However, the rebel army thus constituted advanced
by slow degrees and with incessant fighting from the
southern provinces, steadily gaining ground, and
augmenting their own forces, not only by the voun
teers naturally attracted to successful cause, but by
compulsory leves from the districts through which
they passed. In November last they had got to
Woo chang, the capital town OF the central pro-
vinces standing on the great river Yangtsee, the
Tagus of China; from which important position they
could descend upon Nankin, distant by the river
some 500 miles. At this time their army was compu-
ted to exceed $4,000 men, and though these numbers
not great for population like that of China, or
revolution Of several years growth, it was thought
that the Emperor could not array against them any
thing like an equal force. Our reports, indeed in
formed us at that time the utmost CONSERVATION was
prevailing, at all the towns between Woochang and
the capital nor will the reader notwithstanding the
lack Of intermediate details, find any difficulty in
now compromising the Geographic despatch in our
impression of yesterday, to the effect that Nankin
had fallen into the hands of the rebels the 10th
OF February.
The remark appended to this announcement, that
nothing but European intervention could maintain
the Emperor on his throne" is curiously charac-
terstic OF our reputation in the East Some years
back it is possible enough that the dethroned sove-
reign might have found Give or Cochrane, and
that the result according to historical rule, might
have been the establishment Of Anglo-Saxon power
in China. 1t is hard however, to say with what pre-
text or even motive such an Intervention could be
exercised. The mere substitution at Pekin of dy-
nasty which nobody comprehends for another which
nobody understood, could not be likely to exert any
material influence on European transactions. AS
far as we can discern, the rebellion appears, if not
to have originated at any rate to have proceeded on
the assumption, that the whole country was mis-
governed, overtaxed, and generally oppressed. The
declarations of Tien.teh and his supporters have
uniformly promised fairer system OF imposts, and
better administration of justice, as the conse-
quences OF their success and it seems that deep dis
satisfaction was generally felt at the existing
state Of affairs. With a domestic revolution thus
created it could certainly not be the interest of any
foreign power to interfere, for. excepting on the
opium question, it is altogether improbable that any
change Of dynasty at Nankn could affect the COM
mercial relations between the British and Chinese
The reason for disquietude on part would be
found if We not mistaken, rather in the non-com
peton than the completion of the revolution described
1t is 0fvery little consequence to who the Emperor
Of China may be, but Of very great Importance that
there should be some Emperor or other administer
ing an effective government; and we are not with
out suspicious that the communication now an
nounced may be by no means 30 conclusive as it ap
pears. II is true that the rebellion has already en-
joyed most respectable duration; but in affairs Of
this kind the Chinese standard differs widely from
that established in Europe, and most Of the revou
period Of time than has hitherto been devoted to the
expedition OF Tienteh. We have reason to think
that the districts left behind by the insurgents in
their advance have not been permanently secured to
the cause of the revolution, that all is not gained
which appears to be. The Tartars, moreover, are
brave by nature and martial by profession and, as
far as public opinion exists in China, believe that
the feeling OF the northeastern provinces IT, if not
actually favorable to the reigning house. at least SO
opposed to that of the southwestern provinces from
which the instruction proceeded jealousy alone
would induce them to side with their sovereign.
We apprehend, In short, from these and other dis
cernibe elements of antagonism what Mr.. Glad
stone, apparently with some anticipation of the
truth, called "a state Of chronic rebelon;" and it
must be rccoected that the recent extension of the
disturbance to some of the chief tea districts may
produce consequences which weHs escaped viii the
contest was confined to the more southern central
parts Of tho empire. The provinces on which we
depend for one Of the necesaries of our daily life
and indirectly for no inconsiderable portion Of
revenue, are already so dsorganized and mpoyer-
ished as to be suffering greatly in their commercial
pursuits; and it is hard to put limit to the inconve
n;ence might endure from any serious check upon
the production and export Of tea. We wait, how
ever, for more circumstantial intelligence, and as
the scene Of action is now brought the coast
we may expect more authentic and regular reports
Of this singular revolution.