Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1853-12-03
Qbe polptlesia,l.
The Great Chinese Revolution.

j The Great Chinese Revolution.
The Chinese Empire, if square in form
would be about 1000 miles each way. |
lies almost entirely within the temperate
zone, and has sea coast of more thar
3UOO miles, including several excellent har
bors. Only about one-fourth of this terri
tory however is China Proper, which con
|tains nearly the whole population of tn,
Empire, estimated at about $50, 600, 900,
people more numerous than ever was col
lected under any other sceptic, and in com
parison with the numbers of which the mos
powerful nations of ancient and moderl
times sink into insignifcance China is di
vlded into eighteen provinces, each moro
2OO miles square, with an average popula.
ton of 19, ,OOO, 900.
| The Rebellion began in the province o
kwangse, about $50 miles west of Canton
The Pekin Gazette, the official paper of the
NanchoO Government, says that the insur.
gents first raised their standard in August
1910; the English papers in China, and
Messrs, Gallery and Ivan, the authors of a
French history of the Rebellion until the
taking of Nankin, say the first difficulties
occurred in August, 1850. If trouble ex-
isted prevous to the latter date they were
confined to Kwangse, but during the month
OF August, 1850, the insuI gents entered the
adjoining province of Kwantung and took
possession of the country about 100 miles
north of Canton.
The rising of the people is ascribed to
various causes: to official oppression and
popular misery, to the persecution of native
Christian missionaries, and to consr tracy
organized by secret association, called the
Triad Society," for the express purpose of
|overthrowing the Manchoo Government
The best authorities ascribe the main influ-
ence in the first movements to the "Triad
Society"
In the beginning Of 1851, the Importance
of the movement became perceptible. The
rebels cut off their queues, thus laving them
selves liable to death if the revolt should
fail; and they boldly declared that they in
tended to overthrow the Tartar rule, and to
establish the pure Chinese blood of the
Wing Dynasty, lineal descendant of which
Tien-Teh, was their leader and Emperor
1t is now doubted whether such person as
Ten-Teh ever existed. He is no longer
mentioned, and the rebels say that they
have no descendants of the Wings at their
head 1t was said that Tien-Teh was cap
tured and beheaded in 1851, but it is proba-
BILE that the name was used at first only for
the purpose of lending strength to the cause
The rebel proclamations were ably writ
ten, and all their leaders were evidently far
superior to the Mandarins The former
managed to interest in their cause the Mao
tzees, the hardy and warlike natives Of the
mountainous districts of Kwangse, who have
never been conquered by the Tartars, and
who are feared and celebrated throughout
China
In May, 81, the greater part of the pro-
vinces, Kwangse, kwantung and Kwei-choo
was in the hands of the rebels.
During the Summer, the rebellion made
its influence felt strongly on the foreign
commerce Of Canton, which lost most of its
trade, and Shanghae, situated in district
still peaceful, rose in Importance.
In August, the name of the present rebel
leader, Hung-seu-tsaen, the Thae-ping-
wang, or Prince of Peace, appears for the
first time.
In October there were 100, 900 Imperial
ist troops in the field. but they could make
no headway The battles gained were ofI
little benefit, and the troops could hold
nothing save the land within reach of their
guns.
Before the end of the year the revolution
lists had taken number of important cities,
and in some of them had slaughtered all the
Manchoos In some cases the number of
the victims was fixed as high as 80, 900 In
December body of 5000 insurgents col
!ected in Hoonan, and though entirely un-
with the revolution made common
cause with it. About the same time the
people at the large city and free port OF
Ming po became restless, and there were
several riots, which, however, were sup-I
pressed. About this time the Pekin Gazette
ceased to report every engagement as an
Imperialist victory, its previous custom.
In the beginning of 80 the papers said
that Kwangse and the northern part OF
blooming gardens before, had
been devastated, and Hounau and How-plh
were suffering almost ais severely.
In the spring the Court Treasury was so
empty that proposition was made that the
Government should monopolize the opium
trade so that revenue might be derived
from it, and the Emperor confscated the
estates of some of his Ministers. Various
other acts showed the extreme scarcity Of
funds.
In November, 1852, the rebels were in
trenched at Lin Chan-foo, and held an I'M
portant council whether they should go west
and take Chin-Sha, the capital of Szuchuen,
DR. move down the Yang-tze-kiang, and at
.ack Marking. They determined boldly
upon the latter course, and from that time
heir ultimate success became apparent to
hose familiar with Chinese affairs. One
detachment attacked Chang-Sha, the capi-
tal of Hoonan, early in January '53, and it
NJ, . .or,,lsed Init thew gained in every