The southern press., 1851-04-09
Correspondence Southern Christian .adpoeae.
Military Display In China.
SHANGHAI. Sept.

l SHANGHAI, Sept. IL, 1850.
A Chinese military review is not one of the
least singular sights in this singular country
You have not now to be informed for the first
time of the extremely awkward and ludicrous
appearance of Chinese soldier. To begin with
| his bead---he wears upon it hat or cap, what
ever you please TO call it, Of conical shape, hav-
ing tuft of horse-hair, dyed red and fastened
on the top and hanging down its sides. In full
dress uniform, he wears clumsy quilted gar
ment wadded with cotton. 1t extends below
the knees, and on the back is large round patch
Of white, which has inserted upon it, in flaming
red the character signifying "bravery." This of
course ia best seen by the enemy when he runs
and they have never failed to display il by turn
ing their backs In every engagement with for
eign troops. Ifthey argue from the maxim that
discretion is the better part of valor," they
right, for run bravely they certainly do. You
would suppose, by the amount of noise they
produce that they relied upon the hideous din of
their gongs and horns to frghten their foes to
death. A man who had a very delicate sense of
the concord of sweet sounds" would be likely
to drend their music more than their bullets.
! went this morning to see one Of these mar
tial displays; carrying with me, however,a sup
ply Of messengers of peace in the form of tracts
A ne plFtue UFNuUB lr "A iHfRt tptn SPf'f WttU-
out the city walls, on the south, about two
miles from my residence. When | reached the
spot, the archers--for one department of the
military use bows and .arrows--had finished
their exercise, and two Of the three mandarins
present were exhibiting their strength and skill
| TO the admiring crowd by shooting at target
with bows and arrows Of their own. Had YOU
seen the dexterity of these officers on the occa-
siop,you would agree with me in the opinion that
the safest course for one 10 take who wished TO
avoid being hit, would be TO 90 and stand
by the mark. Just as one had discharged his
three arrows, he discovered me among the mu'-
titude, by my foreign dress, and beckunng me
toward him, took me by the hand, and seated me
by his sdc near small table. | was sdmiring the
workmanship of bow standing against the ta-
BILE, and the mandarin TO whom il belonged re
i quested me TO try il.
begged him to eycuse me, saying that | had
never used one of that kind but as he still in.
sisted, ] took an arrow, placed it on the striny
and sent il away whizzing toward the mark
which IL missed of course, but went so far be
yond il as to elicit shout Of appreciation from
the people crowded around. They exclaimed
The foreigners strength is greater than the
mandnrins'--for most of their arrows had fallen
short Of the mark NV courteous friend seem.
ed little mortified, and he FASTENED to on
string his bow, while the people said Let the
foreigner shoot again--Let the foreigner shoot
again He then ordered cup of tea for me,
and taking his pipe, filled il with finely cut to.
bacco, lighted II by drawing puff or two him
self, and then wiping the mouth piece with his
hand, gave Il to me with graceful bow. This
was designed M n compliment, and not liking to
be considered rude by declining IL 40 publicly,
| took the pipe and smoked IL few seconds. but
J being too dull TO appreciate the virtues Of the