The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-02
NEW EMPEROR OF CHINA.
a Nine Year Old Lad Said to Have
Taken the Throne.


SHANGHAI, Jan. 25.-The North
China Daily News publishes an edict
signed last night by Emperor Kwang
Su appointing as Emperor in his place
Put Sing, a 9-year-old Prince. The new
Emperor will ascend the throne on
January 31st.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-(After-
noon ervice.)-Secretary Hay was ad-
Vlsed today by United States Minister
Conger at Pekin of the result of the
conyocation of Chinese notables there
yesterday, his statement. being that
Pu Chun, IA years of age, had been ap-
pointed heir-apparent.
There is a notable discrepancy be-
tween Mr.. Conger's statement and that
eabled from Shanghai, and it is i'm
possible to learn here which is aecur-
ate at this time, neither the State De-
partment nor the Chinese Legation
having further information on the sub
| Ject than that contained in Mr.. Con-
gers brief. dispatch. 1t will be mo-
ticed that he does not indicate that
| the heir has been chosen as Emperor
nor that be is to ascend the throne i'm
mediately. The result is awaited with
great interest here, for, by the charac-.
ter of the selection made of the sue
cessor to the present Emperor may be
determined the question whether the
Russian or the japanese innuence is
predominant in China.
| WASHINGTON, s., Jan. 25.-lAiter-
noon Sefyioe.) The Chinese Minister.
Mr.. WI Ting Fang, when shown the
above dispatch, was at first inclined to
doubt and discredit it, but On examin-
ing the circumstantial detail of The re-
ported edict, he said:
Il am unable to say whether Il is
true or not. Thus far l have .reeeiFed
nothing, official or unofficial, TO fntii-
cate that such a change has been made
or was contemplated. short time
ago report was current that the son
OF the Prince of Tuan (erroneously Civ
en- in the dispatch as Prince Tuano)
would be named as heir-apparent But
have not been informed that this
would be done. 1t would not be sur
prising if an heir-apparent were desig.
mated, as this occurs at times, usually
in order to provide a succession when
an Emperor is sick or otherwise inca
lpacitated'
After consulting the genealogy of
the Imperial family, Mr.. WI said that
as near as he could tell, Prince Tuan
is son of the former Emperor, Hieu
; Fung, thus making the reported new
Emperor, Pu Chun, grandson of EN-
peror Hieu Fung. The latter was fol-
| lowed by Ting Chi, son of the pres
ent Empress Dowager, who still re-
: tains her strong influence over court
affairs. Her son was without issue
3 and was succeeded by the present En-
peror, kwang Su, nephew of the EN-
press Dowager, and designated through
/ her influence. In case the reported
change has been made, 1t will be con
/ tlnuance of the same Imperial family
r at the head of affairs. with the EN-
e lpress Dowager remaining as the stronl
lpower behind the throne Prince TuaI
= has been little known in court affairs
: which, however, is not surprising, a
] members of the Imperial household d,
2 not mingle with the outside world
:, and are practically unknown.
n When asked If such a change wouk
t lentail any change of policy, Ministe
= Wa said: Not the slightest. 1t doe
e not indicate any change OF policy OF
S international or foreign affairs, nor il
d our domestic affairs. Our people ar
e a quiet, peaceful people and have littl
= regard for PERSONAL changes whicl
b may occur in the government"
= RoBT RTs EXCLUDED.