The Emperor of China died on Saturday last. At least
such was the official announcement made on Sunday at Peking ; but there had been some rumours that he really died earlier in the week. He declined, as the Times correspondent tells us, to allow himself to be removed to the Pavilion of
Peaceful Longevity, thus violating the precedents which prescribe the deathplace of the Emperor. He also refused to wear the traditional robes proper to the occasion. On Sunday the astonishing announcement was made that the Empress-Dowager was also dead. The coincidence was so remarkable that there was naturally a suggestion of foul play ; but no evidence has confirmed this. Late on Saturday evening the Empress-Dowager had issued a decree appointing the new Emperor Pu-yi and naming his father, Prince Chun, as Regent. On Sunday a decree was issued in Pu-yi's name declaring that the late Empress-Dowager had directed that the Regent, whenever be was in difficulties, was to consult the new Empress-Dowager, the young Emperor's mother, who is admitted by all to be a nonentity. The satisfactory feature of these events is that there has been no crisis, though one bad been long prophesied.
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