On Tuesday both Parliamentary Houses of the Chinese Republic assembled
for the first time. A Renter message says that in the House of Representatives 500 delegates out of 596 were present, and that the Senate numbered 177 members out of 274. A salute of 101 guns was fired, and great enthusiasm followed the playing of the National Anthem. Nearly all the members wore frock coats and top hats. One member informed the Daily Telegraph correspondent that he had travelled from his constituency by camel, and then asked, " Is my top hat correct P" A large number of members have brought their families with them, which is taken to mean that they expect their residence in Peking to be permanent ; yet a writer in the Times tells us that the provinces are virtually in a state of independence, that little revenue is remitted to Peking, and that a coup d'ilat cannot be far off. Yuan Shih-kai's message was not read in public, as his Presidency is still provisional. At the end of the ceremony Parliament adjourned for three days.
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