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34 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.ferred from the Yunkwei viceroyalty to take that atMukden. Later in the year L,i Teh-hsun, the unscrupulous Director of the northern section of the Tientsiu-Pukow Railway, had to be removed, and as an indirectresult the perfectly honourable Lu Hai-huan was removed from the office of Director- General. With thedismissal of Tuan Fang from the Chihli viceroyalty inNovember, Chen Kwei-lung was called to the north, andhis place at Wuchang was taken by Jui Cheng. TuanFang had earlier in the year been succeeded at Nankingby Chang Jen-chen, who had handed over the Governorship of Shantung to Sun Pao-chi, thitherto for sometime Minister to Germany.It is thus seen that more than half the nearestadvisers of the Throne were removed during 1909 bydeath or dismissal, and half the heads of provinces werealso removed or transferred. It might therefore beexpected that the work of government would be interrupted. It is quite certain that little real progress wasmade, though there were abundant Decrees. Apartfrom the Decree dismissing Yuan Shih-k ai the firstimportant one of the year was under date of i8thJanuary, ordering the Board of Civil Administration,together with the provincial authorities, to see to theselection of competent gentry for the local Governmentof walled cities, market towns, and villages. A monthlater, i6th February, the provincial authorities wereinstructed to proceed to the election of the provincialassemblies, and these bodies came into operation on theI4th October in ever} 7 province, the session lasting untilthe 23rd November, The Government has had not amoment s peace since, for the assemblies have headeda movement in favour of hastening the date for theopening of parliament, and have in other ways shownvigour, determination and enthusiasm. The determination of Peking to help forward the principles of representative government was indicated in an Imperial decreesanctioning the retirement of the Shenkau Viceroy on