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CHINA.
(Ta Cii'ino Kuo — Chung Kuo.) Government.
Up to February 12, 1912, China was a Monarcliy ; on that day it became a Republic.
The Chinese Imperial family was of Manchu origin, dating from 1644, and was styled Ta Gh'ing Ch'ao ('Great Pure Dynasty'). The last Emperor, P'u-yi, was the tenth of the line ; but the official genealogy is carried back six generations earlier than the real founder, and P'u-yi's will be the sixteenth name in the canonized series of Ta Ch'ing Emperors. He was born on February 11, 1906, succeeded his uncle the Emperor Tsai t'ien on November 14, 1908, and abdicated on February 12, 1912. He retains the title of Manchu Emperor, but with, his death the title will cease. For account of the Revolution of 1911, see Statesman's Year-Book for 1912, pp. 699-701.
In the abdication edict (published February 1.5, 1912) the Emperor directed Yuan Shih-K'ai to set up a Provisional Repuldican Government.
The Provisional Government is composed of a President, a Vice-President, and a National Council, and the administration is carried on by the follow- ing Ministries: — (1) Foreign Affairs {TVal Ghiao Pu). (2) Interior. (3) Finance. (4) Education. (5) War. (6) Marine. (7) Industry and Com- merce. (8) Agriculture and Forestry. (9) Posts and Communications, and (10) Justice. The affairs of Mongolia and Tibet, formerly under the con- trol of the Ministry of the Colonies, are now under the 'Department for Mongolia and Tibet.'
Provisional President of the Republic. — Yuan Shih-K'ai, Provisional Viee-President. — Li Yuan-Hung (resides at Wuchang).
The Provisional President was elected on February 15, 1912, and on March 10 he took the oath of office. His tenure of the Presidency will con- tinue until the meeting of the National Convention, i.e. the Upper and tlse Lower Houses sitting together. In September, 1912, laws were promulgated governing the elections. The final elections for the Lower House were to have taken place on January 10, 1913, and the Parliament to meet on April 8, 1913.
The Parliament consists of a Senate (the Upper House) and a House of Representatives (the Lower House). One member of the House of Repre- sentatives nominally represents 800,000 head of population, but pending the taking of a complete census the total number of members returned by the Provinces, including Mongolia and Tibet, is 596. The members of the Senate, elected by the Provincial Assemblies ard various Electoral Colleges, number 274.
The Cabinet {Kuo JVn Yuan) is composed of the Premier, the heads of the various Ministries and the Chief of the General Staff. On August 1, 1912, Dr. G. E. Morrison was appointed Political Adviser to the President of the Republic, and in March, 1913, Mr. F. J. Goodnow Constitutional Adviser.
