Arizona republican., 1900-09-05
WHY THE DEFENSE AVAILED
The British Legations Strength
 Against a Siege.

The succession to the Dragon throne of China is hereditary. but it does not, however descend to any particular son of the reigning emperor The choice usually falls on the oldest son. but the emperor is supposed to carefully watch and judge the abilities of his differ mt sons and choose for the succession tha5 one who would make the best emperor and give his people the wisest rule. Should the emperor die without mak- ing any selection the princes of the late emperor select some one of the family to occupy the throne.
 For those members of the family who are not so fortunate as to be selected for the succession, great ducal palaces are selected and assigned to them for royal residences. The 'Forbi Id n city" in the heart of the city of Pekin, is the residence of the emperor himse f, and to this city is brought the member of the family who is selected as the heir apparent. But outside of the Forbid den city Pekin is dotted with the great parks or compounds that surround these royal ducal palaces. The grounds usually range from two to five acres in area and are surrounded by high brick
 
 off completely from the sound and smells of the city outside.
 The Chinese have always been op- posed to any hereditary nobility and while these ducal palaces aIe assigned as imperial residences to sons of the reigning monarch. it is always with the provision that when the family of the occupant has, by the operation of Chi nese law (which provides that imp -r.al descendants lose one degree in rank with each generation until the third), been reduced to the level Of the com mon people, the palaces shall then ra- vert to the crown for reassignment to sons of the then reigning monarch. 1t is on account of this peculiar law that the palaces of Pekin are occupizd by an ever changing population, first princes of the blood. then their children and graCGc children in succession after them, then the vacation Of the pa.ace and it's reassignment to princes of the re:Sa.n 7 family
 The fourth generation from the royal family have no official titl- or rank; still all persons of royal descent, to the remCtest generation. are allowed n wear the yellow girdle, indicative of ' de men, or Huang DaiZas. are one of the features of Pekin. Many of them have inherited wealth from their royal ancestors and are prominent men n their community. Others have fared differently with fortune. Some hang around the imperial offices, seeking tn ? hun 3lest employment; others are the scr.Jes and teachers. and even GOmesti servants may be found wearing the vel low gIr1le.
 Tn treaty which closed the French and English war in 1860 first granted 10 the powers the right to maintain their embassies in the Chinese capital. In the carly days, before the building of the railroad from Tien Tsin to Pekin, the The of travel was up the river 70 Tung Chow, and thence into the capi- tai through the east of tha southern gates of the city. Entering Pekin through this gate the Forbidden city. with it's imperial palaces. lay to the west and it was but natural that the first envoys should turn up the first street leading towards tho palaces. I; so happened that this street hId ben for centuries the quarter in which lodged the envOys from the tribut D. paying neighbors of the Chinese om-