Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-11-10
A ChimeAe Muster.

IolOf 10 WOfk OF Inc husslhn COusul |
on China, contains description Of
great review o. the Chinese armv, which |
took place in the plain Of YaO chen-Va,
league and half southeast Of The CITY |
This account s given by NJ Lsontisff,
who resided for long time al Pekin:
I'VE set out (says he) at two hours !
pas, midnight, and wore drawn over The
! frozen mud 10 the streets without meet.
ing living soul The wstchmen only !
seated in their boxes. lighted by small
lamps, struck their stats on hearing the
sound Of our carriage.
"'Fhe soldiers gong in single file and
officers in lcho (cabrIolets) were pro-
ceodiDg to the place of the review -
Some soldiers had bows aud arrows in
their hands, others carried on their
shoulders very small guns, and others
who went probably only to increase
the number, had no arms al ALL At the
gate Of tho city, which was on y half
open, Ihe guard examined, by the aid Of
paper lanterns, those who presented
themselves to go out. 10 this way we
passed through the narrow streets which
led 10 The plain of Yanchen In this
open plain vas long file extending
from east to west oi great lanterns, Oh
which hung leaves Of red paper bearing
the inscriptions which indicated the
= names Of the divisions thare assembled.
Those lanterns were suspended on poles
before each division, beginning from
Z the east al the division OF the red flag
: The soldiers VINO were passing about
. the lanterns, appeared occupied in as
Il semblng and arranging themselves aC-
9 cefding 10 their rank. Our carriage
;, stopped at the west OF mound on which
g was great blue tent, turned towards
u the south. AT the east and west ol this
IT tent were great lanterns hung on long
g poles, serving TO give light TO the tent,
is at The southeast and wesl, smaller tents
II had been arranged Iur The military
70 chiefs. ca
cater having examined what was
passing on the hill we vert towards the
troops, and We had not gone more than q
Y hundred PAGES when we approached 'ht
cannon, 1t was curious TO examin'
:, these pieces, as at the present there i
~ ~ no one in the Chinese empire capable o
- casting them, and the Chinese artillery
~ Git it deserves this pompouS name) en-
+, p,Oys pieces taken from the Dutch il
- Little Bucharia, or rather those whlcI
~ were made under the direction OF th
- missionaries more than century ago
-. examined them, and saw that the
y, we're mounted on wooden four wbeee
~ carriages and fastend by cords full {
=, knots. passed to other pieces, and m
-, surprise was increased on seeing thG
" the carriages we're only kept !ogethe
. by ropes tied about them. The iro
~ aud bronze cannon were not more tha
'h Ten decimeires long; they were pace
,n on line high ground before mentioned
~ Three of these pieces were prepared ic
80 W firing, aud the others placed beside lheI
to were hidden by old mating. Was tn
y ITO conceal their miserable condition, G
49, only 10 protect them from the damPnes
", leave others 10 Judge ! did not daI
10 proIong my examination for fear
,,a awakening suspicion. There were all
large kettle drums, each carried by fol
IA " men on ,ticks disposed like eros
-, The soldiers then began to place ther
49,. ~ selves in rows before the blue cIoI
ia M tents destined for the officers.
,r- ii returned TO my carriage and awe
tho ted the arrival OF the officer. 10 the Oa
ve. the heavens began TO grow pale I'll
(or moon became din, and, incIiniug towa
his the west, finally disappeared. The II
are terms before the lines were all TAXI
ind down and exringulshod AT last the p
asl son appointed by the Emperor 10 insPs
at The troops arrived 10 peanqulDS and
IN, tered line tent which was on tho hi
iso The troops were then arranged 10 tbr
and very long lines, extending from east
oed west The three cannon mentioned
,or boyo wers each discharged in succssslc
.hls The recital am about 10 make, will
IAN. think create surprise.
the "To load a cannon they Pot in CO
q Of tain quantity Of dayaO IA coarse Powd
ing composed principally Of charcoal mix
I'm with small portions o. nltre and sul phu
ard They GIL up the touchhoIe with fin
Ap powdsr, in which nitre predominant
the lhey set FIRE to ii with d match olt"
un- ted paper. The FIRE having reached
cts, charge, the dayao begins to cfackIe; I
the cannon moves back and forward, and
owe minute oIOp'ss before it goes off, "
be NOT an eve witness OF what have rel
1me led, but was told so by Ibs cannonIe
the the mseIves The cannon exercise
eau succeeded by gun GriOg' About at"