r. The real reason for this change is the
marked superiority of the Chinese, in whose hands the administration
is stated to be safer for the Manchu dynasty. Practically all the high
Chinese officials have risen through the junior ranks of the civil
service, and obtained their high position as the reward--so it must be
presumed--of long and distinguished public service.

Functions of the central government.

Through the weakness of some of the emperors the functions of the
central government gradually came to be to check the action of the
provincial governments rather than assume a direct initiative in the
conduct of affairs. "The central government may be said to criticize
rather than to control the action of the provincial administrations,
wielding, however, at all times the power of immediate removal from
his post of any official whose conduct may be found irregular or
considered dangerous to the stability of the state."[31] This was
written in 1877, and since then the pressure of foreign nations has
compelled the central government to assume greater responsibilities,
and the empire is now ruled from Peking in a much more effective
manner than was the case when Lord Napier in 1834 could find no
representative of the central government with whom to transact
business.

If the central authorities take the initiative, and issue orders to
the provincial authorities, it, however, does not follow that they
will be carried out. The orders, if unwelcome, are not directly
disobeyed, but rather ignored, or specious pleas are put forward,
showing the difficulty or impossibility of carrying them out at that
particular juncture. The central government always wields the power of
removing or degrading a recalcitrant governor, and no case has been
known where such an order was not promptly obeyed. But the central
government, being composed of officials, stand by their order, and are
extremely reluctant to issue such a command, especially at the bidding
of a foreign power. Generally the opinion of the governors and
viceroys has great weight with the central government.

Departments of the central administration.

Under the Ming dynasty the _Nuiko_ or Grand Secretariat formed the
supreme council of the empire. It is now of more honorific than actual
importance. Active membership is limited to six persons, namely, four
grand secretaries and two assista