DRAMATIC COUP IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16582, 4 July 1917, Page 7

DRAMATIC COUP IN CHINA.

REPUBLIC AT AN END.

RESTORATION OF EMPEROR.

PRESIDENT CURTLY DISMISSED. A. and N.Z. Cable. PEKIN. July 2.

The President has resigned, and the Emperor has been restored to the throne.

Martial law prevails in China. A proclamation restoring the Emperor is expected to-day. The coup came with dramatic swiftness and secrecy. General Chang Shun, Leader of the Military party, suddenly appeared at the Presidential residence at three o'clock in the morning, and curtly informed the President that he must resign, as the Manchu Emperor had been restored.

WASHINGTON. July 2.

1 Despatches have been received by the State Department to the effect that the Chinese Monarchists had dislodged the President. General Chang Shun has declared himself Dictator, and intends to res Sore the boy Emperor. (Received 11.20 p.m.) United Service. LONDON, July 2. The restoration of the Manchu dynasty was accepted placidly in Pekin. Troops were concentrated round the city and lined the streets. The military party in Pekin and the majority of the northern provinces support the change.

THE REVOLUTION OF 1911.

DEMAND FOR CONSTITUTION.

The Mandril Emperor, who has been co dramatically restored, is a boy 11 years of age. Up to February 12, 1912, China was a monarchy; on that day it became a republic. The revolution of 1911-12 was the outcome of a movement for a constitution, which was opposed by the throne. In the middle of October. 1911, Wuchang 1 was taken by the revolutionaries and an independent military government declared. This was quickly followed by the secession ->f province after province, till at the beginning of 1912 fourteen out of Wentytwo provinces, including Manchuria, Liang Kuang, Kiangsu, Hupei and Hunan, had thrown off their allegiance to the Manchu Government. A Constitution was granted in November, 1911, and Yuan Shih-kai, who was made Premier, endeavoured to form a constitutional monarchy. In the meantime fighting had been going on along the Yangtse Valley, the Imperialists recapturing Hanyang only to lose Nanking after a sturdy defence, and on December 9, 1911, a truce of 15 days was called to allow of pourparlers. The truce was continued, and on December 29 the Nanking (Republican) Assembly, a provisional convention in which 14 provinces only were represented, unanimously elected Dr. Sun Yet Sen President of the Republic of China. In the meantime pressure was being brought to bear on the Throne to force it to abdicate, and on January 17, 1912, a conference of princes was held at the Palace to discuss the procedure of abdication, it was not until February 15, 1912, that the abdication edict was published.

I The counter-revolution which has resulted in the restoration of the monarchy I is a northern movement which has been ; opposed passively, but not actively, by the southern provinces. The Ministry was discredited by the revelation of widespread corruption., involving the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Communications. An army raised by the military party ofHhe north marched on Pekin and secured without violence the resignation of the President, Li Yuan-Hung. One of the generals was installed as President, but he was a puppet in the hands of the military party, and was described as anxious to retire at the first opportunity. That opportunity has now been afforded him.

China severed diplomatic relations with Germany on March 14, and in the middle of May the Cabinet asked Parliament to sanction a declaration of war. In the meantime the influences which led to the counter-revolution were at work, and the Parliament refused to give the sanction asked for by the Cabinet. It has been stated that the foreign question is not an issue in the revolution, both sides being anti-German.