The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-20
CHINESE COURTS RETURN:
Plans for the Reentry of Emperor
and Queen Dowager.

It is greatly to be feared that, with
the evacuation of Picking by the foreign
troops, all remembrance of the lesson
it was hoped was being taught to vain.
egotistical China will rapidly fade into
the very thinnest of dreams. AS we have
often pointed out in this column, the
Chinese government and Chinese officials
are adopts in perverting facts and per-
suading the populace that a defeat is
really victory for celestial arms or
celestial guile. The reverses suffered by
the Chinese troops at the hands of for
eign troops. the precipitate flight of the
Imperial court from the metropolis, and
it's occupation by foreign soldiers can all
be ingeniously shown to have resulted
either from natural causes or to have
been at the express pleasure of the en-
peror for reasons of state. which perhaps
| it would be pronounced needless to enter
upon. That this anticipation was not far
fetched or wide of the mark has been
already proved very forcibIy from Chi
nese sources.
After repeated reports that the Chinese
imperial court was about to leave Hsian-
until the public had lost all interest in
a matter which seemed so uncertain-the
announcements came at length that their
majesties had really started for Kai-
feng on the 9Th instant. This date had
been fixed upon, after much considera- !
ton by the empress dowager, and per- |
mission had been granted by her to H. J
f. Sheng Yum, governor of Shensi, TO ac- :
company the imperial party to new cap
charge of he troops at Hsian-fu. was or
dered to take command of the bodyguard
mostly Kansuh veterans-and instruct !
ed to escort the court to Kaifeng. The
now going on, will entail very
heavy expenses. Preparations Oh a
large scale have to be made in advance
for the accommodation of the court and
retinue at each hating place. The num-
Der of persons composing the court and
It's train is very large. and the bodyguard
IS quite a small army. They will nearly
eat up the supply of provisions en-
-oute, and their passage through the
will doubtless be regarded with
anything but rejoicings by the lnhabi- d,
ants. the evacuation of Picking by the '
oreign troops has no doubt had it's due {
share in finally inducing empress dOwag- q
# to commence the return journey to I
he Manchu capital. The soiourn at !
1sian-fu has not been too salts
actory, we imagine. The great
distance from the central and southern I
rovinces. the Inconvenience in the city s
4 adapted for the accommodation of so il
numerous court, and the sense of ban 81
;hment from the ordinary seat of power, I
aust all have conspired to render the il
tay at the imperial court at Hsian-fu ! q
cry far from comforta BILE. Yet to s
love from position of comparative in
accessibility like Hsian-fu seems to have p
cen Il wrench to the empress dowager c
no evidently dreaded Very much the il
disability of falling into the hands of is
lie powers Even now her majesty does Il
OF feel sufficient confidence in the per T
anence of the settlement arrived at,ap- a
arently to proceed direct to Picking, s.
nd she has elected therefore to make | O
aifeng the headquarters of the court 81
'r the present. II
Now that the Chinese court IS fairy
nbarked on it's travels eastward, it may ,
e worth while to hazard some specu-
ton as to it's future movement. and |
lore especially those of His Majesty the
mperor Kwang Hsu. 1t Is not by any ,
leans certain that the emperor who Is / *
til practically a prisoner in the hands Il
T the empress dowager and her support c