THE CHINESE. ALLEGED MANDATE FROM THE EMPEROR. Wellington, July 7.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 280, 11 July 1888, Page 4

THE CHINESE. ALLEGED MANDATE FROM THE EMPEROR. Wellington, July 7.

Somi: bxcitemenb was occasioned lasfc night by the publication in the "Post" of a statement that an edict had been issued by the Emperor of China, commanding all Chinese subjects in the colonies to wind up their respective businesses and affairs within the next thiee years and return to China by the expiration of that period, as- it is intended to place the Empiie on a proper war footing. The article was generally credited as a skit, but 1 am assured that the infoimation is reliable and was furnished by a thoroughly authoritatise source. However, your readers can form their own opinions after reading the document. The article says : "The pieamble of the proclamation is somewhat lengthy, but to put it as tersely as possible, it setib toith that whereas Great Britain entered into treaties with China from time to time, which conferred special privileges on Englishmen, merchants, traders and others, who were thereby permitted to carry on business throughout the greater portion of the Chinese Empire, and whereas these treaties were entered into, so far as China was concerned, very reluctantly, and only through the superiority of the British army, the Imperial Government of China regards the iccent treatment of its subjects throughout the Australian Colonies as illegal, and as a breach of the treaty. " Then follows what may bo regarded as a threat hurled against the British nation. The proclamation goes on to &ay that the Chinese Imperial Army numbers 13,000,000 soldiers, who, however, at present are not armed with such effective or modern weapons, nor are they so well drilled as are the armies of Western nations. The Chinese navy, the despatch goes on to say, although much larger than some few years ago, is not so sufficiently largo as to warrant the Empire in taking the aggressive at present. The Government, however, intends immediately to build arsenals and erect large ordnance and small arms factories, and at four of the most suitable seaports war steamers of the most modern and efficient type are to be constructed as rapidly as possible. This work of re-arming and thoroughly drilling the army and building warships sufficiently powerful to enable the Chinese Empire to cope with the soldiers and navy of Great Britain will, the despatch states, take three years. " Then comes the edict. The Government of China commands all its subjects in the colonies to wind up their respective businesses and affairs within the next three years, and to return to China by the expiration of that period." There appears to be a diversity of opinion amongst the Chinamen here as to the manner in which they shall treat the command of the Emperor in the matter of returning to their nativo land within the time specified. It may be marked, however, that many of the Chinese in this city express their intention of doing as scemeth best to themselves as individuals.