The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-29
AN ENPEROR's HARD LOT.
His Chinese Majesty Little More
Than a ShackIed Slave.

From the Philadelphia Record.
The news from China announcing that
the Empress Dowager has once more as
sumed entire control of the government
will not surprise those somewhat acquaint-
ed with the character of the Emperor and
his dislike Of the ceremonial to which he
IS subjected at all times. Not long ago
the Record writer had the opportunity of
meeting Herr NJ. Won Brandt, formerly the
German ambassador at the court of Pek-
in, and 10 him is indebted for many de-
tails of life in the imperial household. He
said: -
''The Chinese Emperor is subject to a
very strict code of laws during his resi-
dence to the Pekin Palace, and this ex-
plains why former emperors only spent
few months every year at Pekin and why
the present Emperor insisted so hard up
on the restoration of the summer palace
outside of the Chinese capital. AS a mat
ter of fact he must arise every morning
at 2 o'clock. He is allowed an hour for his
toilet, and takes a light breakfast, con-
sisting only of a cup of tea; during this
time he must prepare himself for the
questions then before the privy council,
which meets, summer and winter, at 8
O'Clock in the morning. The sessions al
ways last until a. M, the Emperor pre-
siding.
"At o'clock the Emperor is permitted
to eat his breakfast and after that he
continues to work on affairs of state. ALI
his spare time is taken up by ceremonials
and functions, from which he is never
permitted to absent himself unless he be
i'll. At 5 p. m. he takes his dinner, and
only after that he is permitted to retire
int rfO q he
chooses within his four walls.
THE Emperor has countless servants,
but he Is probably the worst served mon
arch in the world. Special officials are
appointed for each branch of the impe-
rial service. There are mandarins and
other people supervising the imperial
wardrobe; others are in charge OF the fur
niture; Others again of the crockery and
glassware; still others of the silverware.
The kitchen Is under the orders of a chief
mandarin, who has special employees for
purchasing meat; others for vegetables;
others for fruit; others again for dairy
products (for the Emperor as a Manchu-
rian likes milk cheese and koumys, all
of which are detested and disliked by the
Chinese proper. There are mandarins for
the purchase of flowers, for fireworks, for
theatrical shows for hunting, for the sta
bles, for carriages and lifters;. their num-
Der is, so to speak, unlimited, for new
PCSitlOBS are CONSTANTLY DcluE CTedIeQs
then, again, others abolished, according to
the whims of the Emperor and his chief
advisers.
THE bill of fare for every day is pre-
scribed long In advance. Since ii might
happen that new vegetables, for instance,
might be late in the market, they are
placed on the imperial menu only a full
month after their usual appearance. 1t is
the same with fruit and with everything
else. At the same time the Emperor Is
made to pay handsomely for this kind of
service-the breakfast, for instance cost
ing him $500 every day.
THE Emperor must take his meals by
himself, whether he would like TO have
company or not Everything that comes
on his table is served in pairs-two ducks,
two chickens, two fish, two dishes of rice
Physicians are in attendance, lined up
against the wall of the room, and should
the Emperor take too much of some. dish
he likes they order the servant not to
serve that dish again and sometimes even
to take away the dish from his majesty
The Emperor pays for everything at least
ten times its value; but then there are so
many people that want to make money,
and it is worth a small fortune to pur-
chase a place at court.
1.-The Emperor is probably the least free
of all the Chinese. If he wants to leave
the palace it is a big affair. The guards
are called together; all the police are dis
tributed in the streets to order all the
houses, stores and shops closed; the
streets are sprinkled with sand and all
the people disappear as IL by magic from
his path Just as 500 years ago, archers
mounted on small, lean horses precede the
imperial litter which is covered with yell
low silk. The Emperor as never seen by
any of his subjects outside of his palace
The litter is carried by twelve men clad in
long red garments painted with bright
flowers. These carriers must practice
many years before being assigned to the
honor of carrying the Emperor. They must
be exceedingly careful, for If they should
drop the litter they would all be condemn
ed to death"