266 SHOOTING IN CHINA 



generals. These tartar-generals appear to 

 outrank both the governors and the vice- 

 roys, for the imperial edicts are addressed 

 to the tartar-general, the governor-general, 

 and the governor, thus showing that the 

 emperor regards the tartar-general as the 

 first in grade, as his name appears first in 

 the edicts. 



But let the shooter keep away from the 

 military establishments. He will have no 

 business with a tartar-general if he attends 

 to his own. 



Now I have introduced the shooter to 

 the territorial divisions for administrative 

 purposes, and indicated the head officials of 

 each division. If he should get into trouble, 

 I have pointed out the officer to whom he 

 should apply for relief, if he is too far from 

 his own consular representative to make 

 the application direct to him. 



The divisions to which attention has 

 been directed form the practical agencies 

 by which China is governed. I have stated 

 that the government, when contrasted in 

 theory and practice, was as peculiar and as 

 mixed as the people and their dialects. 



The Emperor, in theory, is absolutely 

 supreme, but in practice the provinces are 



