The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-16
Interesting from China.

EFFECT OF THE DEATH OF THE EMPEROR ON THE
POLICY or THE EMPIRE-How HEIN-FUNG LIVED
AND DIED.
The death Of the Emperor Of China the chief subject
OF in the Hong Kong journals OF tho LATEST date
(september 2 The journals unaware Of the tenor
Of the viii OF the deceased Hicn Fung, that the
Of his successor unknown 1t was thought probable
that he has made choice among his three nearest rcla
tions viz his infant son. the brother who with him
in his last Illness and his brother Prince Knpg,
Pekin. Gin the event Of his infant son being nomi
mated, says the China Mall there will be regency,
ana the foreign policy Of the patton will most probably
continue pachc in the event of Prince Kung's acces-
sion to the supreme rule, the same result may be
his late Majesty TO the Yehol II not certain that his
ncnaons likely TO be peaceful As political event,
the death OF Hen Fong cannot be greatly regretted by
any party.
Petersburg according to which the late Emperor had APP
pointed Council Of Regency, from which Prince Kung
als excluded and which would be far adverse to
policy OF Iosce and commercial intercourse with Euro
peans, tus neither conradiced confirmed had
been expected by this mail
The North china Herald makes apraiscworthy attempt
to sketch the leading events IN the late Emperors career
but seems to suffer for want Of MATERIAL
The late Emperor Hen Fung the son Of Tau
kwang, who died in February, 1850 after q reign Of
sion, the sovereign has the power Of nominating any
male member c the royal family as his successor. 1t is
not necessary that he should be the eldest SON. and he
may appoint brother uncle TO succeed him pro-
vGed hc has exhibited capacity and talents for govern
ing cousicuousy than ony other posscssor of the
blood royal In this instance Tau Kwang nominated as
the heads Of three others. On his accession 10 the
tn in February $780, great hopes were entertained
OF him as ii WAS evident that he possessed admins
trative capacity IN high degree. But he was
a young man OF ascvious dsposition and aban-
oncd the severe discussions Of his council for the
yslatable society Of his hnrem, where he revclled
IN the luxury Of Sardanapalus aud like his Assyrian
prototype, casped in ibc arms Of Myrrha, while
Nineych was surrounded by the Scythan hordes, SO
hc sal in the palace OF Yuen Min Yuen. amongst
his wives and concubncs while the guns of the allied
army rcsounded in his aud he had barely time
10 escape to the Tartarian Alps when II was sacked
burned and demolished The place OF his retreat the
palace zeho the frontiers of the empire, where it
Is hemmed IN by the precpitors mountains Of Iartary
H,re lie wiled away his time in ignorance, while his
brother Prince Kung, assumed all the and respon
sibtcs government At Pekin From the date OF his
retreat eafiy IN october, fS60 he evidently hngushed
rs reports ol As Illness from time TO time spread
abroad until from mental and bodily aiiliction which
reduced HIM to state of imbecility--lke his coempo-
rary suzcran, the Sultan Of Turkey-he died ngorious
III S hrtlcth year, amidst o0eminate luxury, at nine
O'Clock p ~ on the 22d Of August 1861 victim TO his
appotes and slave to his passions which made him
mbece despot and the first emperor Of China who has
succumbed to European power.