, 1900-07-14
ABOUT CHINA.

China has an area of 4,21S.401 square
miles and a population of 400, $50, 900.
1t is divided into eighteen provinces
The present sovereign, reigning under
the style Of Kwangsu, is the ninth en-
peror of China Of the Manchu dynasty
of Ts'ung, which overthrow the native
dynasty Of Ming in the year 16i4.
There exists no law of hereditary sue
cession to the throne, but each SOW
ereign has the power to appoint his
successor from among the members of
his family of a younger generation
than his own The late emperor. dy-
ing suddenly in the eighteenth year
of his age, did not name a successor,
and it was arranged by the empires
dowager. widow Of the Emperor Hen
Feng, il concert with Prince thur
sefSs~tn0 infant son Of the latter was
made the nominal occupant of the
throne. The young emperor assumed
government in March, 1887. Septem-
Der %, 1898, an imperial edict was is
sued announcing that the emperor had
resigned power to the empress dowa-
ger, who has since retained direction
OF affairs.
Each Of the eighteen provinces is
ruled by a encouragement, who is re-
sponsible to the emperor for the entire
administration, political, judicial, mill
tary and fiscal. He is assisted by a
council and various officials required
to conduct the affairs of state. Pro-
vinces are divided into departments
ruled by projects, and each department.
into districts, each with a district rul-
er. With the exception of governor, the
political offices are not much sought
after. The governor has a grand op-
p%ortunity to acquire wealth from gifts.
in return for the bestowal of patron
age, which is considered to be the
proper thing
Three religions are acknowledged by
the Chinese, C~onfucianism, Buddhism
and Taoism. The emperor is consid-
cred the sole high priest and can alone,
with his immediate representatives
and ministers, perform great religious
ceremonies. No ecclesiastical heir
archy is maintained at the public ex-
pense. The bulk of the people are
Buddhists. Roman Catholicism has
long had a footing in China and is es-
timated to have about 900, 900 adher-
ents. The number of Protestant ad-
herents is about sc, 900. Under the he
roic treatment now being administer
ed by the Boxers, the number OF Christ
ians is rapidly diminishing.
Education of a certain kind is quite
general, but there are vast masses OF
adults who cannot read or write. There
is a special literary class who devote
their lives to the study of the litera-
ture of their country. There are board
ing schools and day schools for boys
and young men.
The main Chinese army consists Of
eighteen corps, one for each province,
The nominal strength is from $40, 900
to 600, 900 men, of whom about 200,-
WV are aSdlidDIe III wal III duulllOH
to the national army mentioned are
the Eight Banners, nominally contain
ing about 100000 men, descendants Of
the Manchu conquerors and their al
lies. The number maintained on a war
footing is from 5000 to 100, 900. Be-
sides these forces there are mercenary
troops, raised in emergencies, nomi-
nally 200, 900 strong, but Of little mill
tary value. The total land army on
peace foting is put at 800, 900, and on
war footing at 900, 900. The navy is
not an effective force, and during the
war with Japan was almost a complete
failure.
The M%anchus, who come from the
north of China, are the best fighters
and to them is largely due the present
rebellion, or revolution, for the ma
chinery Of government and the army
seem to be in the hands of the rebels.
They have more meat than the people
living in the south of China and there
fore are a more vigorous and strenuous
class.
The Boxers are an organization of a
Smi-political nature. They are band
ed together ostensibly for the purpose
OF teaching boxing n fencing, but the
order has taken a wider scope and has
practically absorbed the control of the
government. AS in their other affairs
they have taken religion into their 10