ican named Ward, into a formidable army, and without delay took
the field against the rebels. From that day the fortunes of the
T'ai-p'ings declined. They lost city after city, and, finally in July
1864, the imperialists, after an interval of twelve years, once more
gained possession of Nanking. T'ien Wang committed suicide on the
capture of his capital, and with him fell his cause. Those of his
followers who escaped the sword dispersed throughout the country, and
the T'ai-p'ings ceased to be.

With the measure of peace which was then restored to the country trade
rapidly revived, except in Yun-nan, where the Mahommedan rebels, known
as Panthays, under Suleiman, still kept the imperial forces at bay.
Against these foes the government was careless to take active
measures, until in 1872 Prince Hassan, the adopted son of Suleiman,
was sent to England to gain the recognition of the queen for his
father's government. This step aroused the susceptibilities of the
imperial government, and a large force was despatched to the scene of
the rebellion. Before the year was out the Mahommedan capital Ta-li Fu
fell into the hands of the imperialists, and the followers of Suleiman
were mercilessly exterminated. In February 1873 the two dowager
empresses resigned their powers as regents. This long-expected time
was seized upon by the foreign ministers to urge their right of
audience with the emperor, and on the 29th of June 1873 tne privilege
of gazing on the "sacred countenance" was accorded them.

Accession of Kwang-su, 1875.

The emperor T'ung-chi died without issue, and the succession to the
throne, for the first time in the annals of the Ts'ing dynasty, passed
out of the direct line. As already stated, the first emperor of the
Ts'ing dynasty, Shih-tsu Hwangti, on gaining possession of the throne
on the fall of the Ming, or "Great Bright" dynasty, adopted the title
of Shun-chi for his reign, which began in the year 1644. The legendary
progenitor of these Manchu rulers was Aisin Gioro, whose name is said
to point to the fact of his having been related to the race of
Nue-chih, or Kin, i.e. Golden Tatars, who reigned in northern China
during the 12th and 13th centuries. K'ang-hi (1661-1722) was the third
son of Shun-chi; Yung-cheng (1722-1735) was the fourth son of
K'ang-hi; K'ien-lung (1736-1795) was the fourth son of Yung-cheng;
Kia-k'ing (1796-1820) was th