The Holbrook news., 1911-02-24
CHINA'S BIG WEALTH
FABULOUS HOARD OF GOLD IN
 SECRET VAULTS.
imperial Treasure May Be Used tt Provide Navy for the Empire Vast Accumulation of
 Years of Tribute.


 It is proposed to select the sons of
 high Manchu officials attending the
 Nobles' school at Pekin and send
 them to the naval colleges at Ranking
 and Tientsin for preliminary course
 of study preparatory to foreign edu-
 cation in the navies of the friendly
 Powers. It is reported that the Chi
 nese government has already arrang
 ed with the British authorities to
 train the cadets on board British wa
 ships and th-t permission has been granted by the regent to select 100 students at once.
 The absence of competent native officers to train the men for the new navy and command the ships is a factor in the scheme occupying the SC rfous attention of the authorities. Stu dents are now being educated in Eng land, France and Germany, and re quest has been made to have the mum Der increased. Whether the naval academies of Europe and America will be as freely opened to China as they were to Japan is problematical. for there is a tendency to discontinue such courtesies
 The escapade of a Chinese nav-l pupil on board the French training ship Borda; who decamped to Belgium with papers stolen from an officers cabin, has served to intensity the dis like of French officers to the admis- sion of foreign cadets to the training ships. There is a revulsion of feel ing in France at least to this system, and the officers are complaining that after educating the Japanese they arc now expected to teach the Chinese.
 The recent incident of a Chinese military student in Japan who ac- quired the mobilization plans of the regiment and other valuable informa- tion, led to the summary dismissal of says the Journal of the American Asiatic Association. The order, il appears. was subsequently rescinded.
 Of course the all important part oi the scheme is to raise the funds. And as already pointed out, every cash of revenue entering Pehn has a capa, cious maw open to receive 1t. The desperate strain of the government to raise funds for the navy program are fully disclosed by the many proposed schemes for this purpose.
 But the persistence of the regent and his advisers in carrying through the scheme, in spite of eSe apparent lack of sufficient resources and his re fusal to accept foreign financial assis- tance suggest another view of the sit. nation which has not been touched
 While the government is poor and in financial straights there remains the great wealth of the imperial fam fly to be reckoned with. Overlooked by the allied troops. who ransacked the palace from end to end, the ac treasure of years lies un- touched in the secret vaults over which the foreign soldiers lit their camp fires. unconscious of the wealth 
 The tribute of years to the Empress Dowager and former sovereigns are here hoarded and available for the country's defense. Native reports are to the effect that an investigation by the chief of the imperial house hold disclosed the fact that the treas 1re amounted to 19,0OO.OO0 taeIs of gold and 999 100000 taels of silver, or roughly speaking some $1.0OO. 100000 gold.
 This amount of actual treasure is enormous. and it may be greatly ex- lggerated. But there is every reason o believe that the imperial treasure must be vast, as the tribute from the provinces. gifts from officials and oth- 1T perquisites of the throne have been 'olling into Pekin for years. The money has not been expended on any ,reat public improvements or build ngs or diverted into any provincial eform scheme. so it is safe to be ieve that it exists.