The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-27

port, the instinct Of selfpressrvation would
naturally fix the Emperors OF that house at
Pekin, which Is only a short distance south Of
the Great Wall. But the moment Manchuria
becomes virtually Russian, Pekin becomes
insecure, and the sole expedient course left
to the Manchu dynasty, II 1t would retain
Its independence, is to invoke the support of
its Chinese subjects, and, to that end, to
place itself In the heart of the country. II
the court wishes to appeal to historical asso-
Citations, it might be expected to &c to
Nankin, which wa the capital during tho
brightest period Of the Ming dynasty, but
perhaps the connection of that city with the
Tae-Ping rebellion would render residence
there distasteful. According to the re-
port which comes TO Us, the place Sc
lected is Hankow, situated on the northern
bank of the Yang-tse-Kia ng at It's junction
with the Han River, about four hundred
and fifty miles west of Shanghai. On the
fnce.of things, there are several objections
to the choice of this town. BY the Chinese
themselves Hankow has never been con-
sidered Il separate city, but as u mere suburb
OF the adjacent city OF lGanyang. The town
| may, also, he said to stand in a somewhat
similar relation to Wu-chang, the capital of
the province of Hupeh, which lies imme-
diately opposite on the southern bank OF
the Yang-tse-Kiang. On the other hand,
Hankow has been for some time the prin-
cipal commercial centre of the middle por-
tion of the Chinese Empire, and there is
a great concentration of population in the
immediate neighborhood. Before the Tae-
| Ping war, the brunt Of which fell on this
region, the three sister cities of Hankow,
Hanyang, and Wu-chang are said to have
had over five million inhabitants. At
present Hankow has from six hundred
thousand to eight hundred thousand. 1t is.
however, a free port, and there are four
foreign settlements, belonging respectively
to the Russians, the British, the French, and
the Germans. The establishment of the
seat of empire in nm open port accessible at
all times to foreigners, would certainly inn
ply a striking change of view on the
part Of the dynasty, and at first, per-
haps, would be regarded with misgiving by
it's Chinese subjects. 1t may be argued,
however, that the great distance Of Hankow
from the sea, and the ease with which the
Yang-tse-Kiang might be fortified at many
points, render the place exceedingly defen-
sible; while the choice Of it may commend
itself to n progressive Minister, like ii
Hung CHANG, by the knowledge that the
construction of railways ~northward to Pc
kin and southwark to Canton would quickly
follow the removal Of the court to Hankow.
On the whole there seems TO be no doubt
that a great awakening of China cannot be
long deferred. The presence of the Russians
in Manchuria, aud the resultant develop
ment of that hitherto neglected province,
cannot fail to operate rs impressive object
lessons: and the new and difficult situation
created for the Manchu dynasty, whereby It
is forced to seek new champions and new
resources among the natives ofChina proper,
must needs strengthen the intelligent hands
of LII HUNG CHANG.