The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-10
A HOTBED OF INTRIGUE
A Ferment in Official Circles in
Pekin,
SOME SWEEPING REFORMS
Provincial On1csrs Accused OF Stealing
State Money - A Deplorable Con-
dition of Affairs-Charges Of
Vice and immortality.

Vancouver, B. c., Aug. 9.-The fol-
lowing Chinese and japanese mail adj
vices have been received by the steam
er Empress of Japan:
The British, Belgian and Mexican
governments have applied to the
Japanese government for the conclu-
sion of an agreement relating to ex-
tradition, and negotiations will be
shortly commenced. Under the new
treaties Japan will seek to control for
eign religions. Hitherto Christianity
has been left unmolested.
France is pressing her demands on
China in the Yangste valley. The
French authorities in Indo-China have
conceived the idea Of converting the
Chinaman into a soldier, and follow
ing the example of the British at Wei
Hai-Wei, they are forming a regiment
OF Celestial tirailleurs, who, it is be-
HeVed, will be more efficient soldiers
than the Ananamites now in the French
service.
On the surface. Pekin is quiet, but
beneath there is ferment. The en-
press dowager still holds the reins of
office, but the palace is a very hotbed
of jealous intrigues. Prince against
minister, eunuch against both and en-
press dowager and her favorites
against the world.
The empress dowager has isused an
edict at Pekin in which several
sweeping reforms are ordered to take
place in all the state departments Of
the empire. The edict opens with a
perfect TRADE upon the whole of the
officials in all the provinces concern
ing their duty in order to prevent what
is stated to be a perpetual squeezing
among those who are in charge. Tho
edict proceeds to say that the directors
of the Lekin stations and salt depart
ments had been guilty of squeezing,
and that in order to remedy these
wrongs 1t would be necessary in the
future that the viceroys, generals and
governors should take notice of the
condition Of things. which were de-
plorable.
The Pekin & Tientsin railway, the
edict goes on to state, has made a
handsome profit, but there will pc no
further construction of railroad lines
until the Lu-Han system has been COM
pleted. When that Is done, and t has
been found to be profitable, other lines
will be laid down.
The japanese press makes charges
of vice and immortality against the
Buddhist priests.
The steamer Nunobiki Maru, LAO
tons gross, formerly belonging to the
Kitsu Bussan Kwaisha, sank in the
vicinity of the Saddle archipelago, at
the mouth of the Yangtse-kiang, 20
miles from Shanghai. OF the crew, -
only were rescued by the British
steamer Kyuchiang. 1t Is supposed
that there must have been 100 or 100
passengers on board, almost all of
whom were drowned. The steamer
was built in England In November,
1874.
The text of treaty between Russia
and Siam is published In Hong konS.
The treaty expires Dec. l next. The
chief clause reads:
THAT everything relating to the jur-
isdiction of commerce and navigation,
Russian subjects in Siamese territory
and Siamese subjects in Russian ter
ritory will enjoy henceforth until the
expiration of the present arrangement,
all the rights and privileges accorded
to the subjects of other nations in Rus
STA or Siam by treaties that may be
made in the future"
For considerable time the Manila
newspapers have been making out
spoken references to the continued
shipments of arms and ammunition to
the Filipinos from Hong Kong. A
proclamation of the governor PROMPTS
such traffic in arms, but it still goes on.
Hong Kong is also sending arms into
China at an alarming rate. Reviewers
are common articles among the Chinese
ruffiians who infest the Canton river
delta and Kowloon lands, and who
punder British vessels and murder
British subjects.
News has been received of the murder
at Vladivostock of c. Wahling of the
Vacuum Oil company. He was muir
dered at night by a Chinese servant,
who, with a Ratchet, smashed in the
head Of his master.