The morning call., 1894-11-08
CHINA'S THRONE TOTTERS,
The Southern Viceroys Not Unwilling
to Bring About q Revolution.

HoNG-KoNG, Oct. 11.-Scarcely any
authentic news of moment has been re-
ceived during the past ten days. Disorder
and confusion prevail throughout the
northern provinces, and no one appears to
know who is at present charged with
supreme authority over the army and
navy. Ii Hung Chang shows no sign of
activity. Contradictory reports are daily
circulated with respect to his condition,
some declaring that he is Frustrated with
paralysis, others that he is endeavoring to
rally round him circle of stanch adhe-
rents and to strengthen his political affiia-
lions, with a view to recovering the power
of which he has recently been shorn. Re-
ports from Tientsin state that the Duke
Kwei Chang, brother-in-law of the EN-
press dowager. and the present Empress
father, has arrived in that city invest ted
with control over all the forces of the en-
pire, military and naval. and prepared to
organize an immense armada, by means of
which the prestige of the empire is to be
at last brilliantly indicated.
The first difficulty in executing this pro-
gramme arises from the circumstance that
the southern viceroys are growing more
and more disincliped to listen to the man.
dates of the throne and its representatives,
Duke Kwei may call spirits from the vastly
deep. but whether they will respond or not
is as troublesome question as that which
Owen Glendower had to confront The
provincial rulers are thinking a great deal
more Of prudence than of proves in these
days, and to every appeal from the north
reply that their highest duty is to preserve
intact the territories confded to them by
their august master, and that with this OBJ
legation resting heavily upon their con-
science they have no right 10 deprive
themselves of either ships. money or men.
There is not much reason to suppose
that Duke Kwei will succeed where Ii has
failed. and the frequent changes in leader
ship have only the effect of spreading dis
trust among the armies and DESTROYING
public faith in the Governments sagacity.
Prince Kung's name has proved impotent
as a spell for conjuring away the difficult
ties of the situation. Nothing has been
heard from him since his elevation to the
presidency of the TsuDg-li Yamen, and the
conviction is now general that he Is.
brought into prominence mainly for the
purpose of adding strength to a branch of
the imperial house upon which the success
olOu mdy SOOu uc Hidpe 10 Uepe0u. Even
the rulers at the capital are becoming con-
scious that the war cannot be successfully.
prosecuted by historical edic,s from the
palace, ordering fresh generals to take the
field. one after another. aud smite the in
vaders into humiliation.
In order to smite efficaciously good
shifting material is requisite and it is now
discovered that the supplies of ammuni
ion for the great ships. of which vast
quantities were supposed to be stored in
the naval stations. have nearly given out.
viii the weapons with which the ar
senals were understood to be crowded
have existed only in the speculative
schedules OF swindling officials. Digpi-
taries of high rank have been for years en-
richiug themselves by diverting funds in
tended for the purchase or manufacture of
arms and munitions into their private
treasures and their detection comes too
late to be of any avail. The magazines
are empty.
The remnants of Admiral Ting's fleet
have been patched up and are nearly
ready TO try their fate again at sea. but
ominous messages are going to and from
Port Arthur to the effect that If they ven.