The Emperor of China has been forced, probably by the
intervention of Li Hung Chang's soldiers brought up from Tientsin, to proclaim his aunt, the Empress-Mother as she is called, co-Regent of the Empire. The energetic and un- scrupulous old lady has accordingly resumed the guidance of affairs, has cancelled all the reforming decrees, and has selected a child, a grandson of Prince Kung, to be the future Emperor. She has announced that the present Emperor is in ill-health, and has summoned all the doctors of the Em- pire to advise upon his treatment. That means, in the opinion of Shanghai, that sbe intends to put her nephew to death, as the only certain method of preventing the reforming party from gaining the reins of power, and possibly executing herself. As yet all looks dark for the Emperor; but we find it difficult to believe that, unless he is dead already, he with his immense legal prerogatives cannot find some one to defend him. That some one will not be a British Admiral ; but suppose the Russian Emperor takes umbrage at so dangerous and terrible a precedent, and telegraphs that he will bold the Empress and Li Hung Chang personally responsible for the Emperor's safety. We repeat, if the Emperor has not been put to death, the end may not be yet.
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