The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-28
NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY %, 1856.

princey place faces the nver-and alongside of
which he is erecting magnificent hong, construct
ed Of Nipgpo granite, the coasting junks bringing
it nearly opposite the door, This building believe
is the first stone structure Of the size in Shanghae
The dimensions being l2o deep by IA feet frontage,
with stables, godowns and c0mpradores. residence,
&C., in the rear. Some twenty months have already
been consumed in its structure and some years
must eapse before it will be entirely completed and
finished for Observation-Disclosures l find the
workmen do not stop to rest In China on The Sab
bath. found much amusement in going over and
through this mass of connected labor the entire in
genuity and industry Of race Of people SO little
understood in the West Commencing with its
foundation Of piles and large blocks of stone pass
ing from floor to roof, granite pillars and brick
chimneys, door moudings and window frames,
FIRE places, manie pieces. bamboo stages,
matt mortar hods, and strange primitive implements
of labor. AL were of untiring interest. And this
palace Of residence. which cannot cost less than
Mr.. Cushings at Watertown, (some 00)O) is the
entire handwork Of ChiDamen-the hard working,
never ceasbg, industrial Celestals, who have been
60 shamefully and ungracously treated in the great
AneloSaxon gold fields. Chop Dollar, the archi
tect and master macon and carpenter, a most intel
gent Chinaman, who derives his somewhat singular
cognomsn from the fact of bis being badly peck
marked took me through the workshops Of the car
penters, and most instructive was his Pigeon Eng
lsh comments. He seemed the ruling spirit among
the w0rkmen, and well he may, for his rule of gov
erning is that of all supeors to those beneath them,
a word and blow, but sometimes the blow comes
first. have dwelt more at length on my going
over this splendid exhibition Of Americans enter.
prise in order to show what mechanics and builders
there in the land for the style of building before
the foreigners here they had never SEEN their
small tenements being Of q most inferior class.
Even that of the viceroy is not worthy Of what you
would expect from the high-sounding name.
As you walk over and around the place you will
many newly erected houses that entirely eclipse
the humble residences of our commission merchants
OF the West. Comfort is the fret thought of the
China merchant, and comfort is the second, and, I
may safely add comfort is the third. Money is only
an auxiliary in catering to his wish. II he wants
palace for residence, be orders it, and it is there
and elegant furniture, choice engravings, splendid
fancy ornaments of bronze or stone, if from
Asia. or sevres or Bohemian if from Europe; and
all the little bot&erre of the parlor table and the
drawing room mantel-from wheresoever they may
come, come at his bidding. Does he take fancy
for Arab an Australian horse his correspondent
gets letter, and his stable, already filed with Ma
nilla Java and China ponies, is opened to receive
the foreign stranger, who is groomed morning, noon
ard night, and fed on carrots and cut feed by some
half dozen lazy looking pigtai grooms, who de-
light in having nothing more to do. l. perhaps, had
better note that the horses Of the country most
" used are the Cinnamon themselves, the sedan
chair, covered or open, made of lancewood or BAN.
boo according to tas.e or purse of the owner, fitted
wpIan aIyatn
seems to be the popular mode Of travel from door
to door. Two coolies (all porters bear the nance
usually do the needtul for a moderate sized man,
like correspondent, but Daniel Lambert would have
required twenty, while Tom Thumb could have
managed with half a one. / have never yet been
dumped by the sure-footed beggars but it is not I'M
usual TO chairs on all possible angles, one cooe
fiat his back, the other tptoe, and the unfor
,uuste occupant Of the chair in the most uncom-
oitable position. If there is any dirty work to do
employ Cbinaman; they will do anything for
money. Be careful as you walk along the Bund, or
you will get the contents Of wateicoset on your
clothes, for every few yards you scent these oHal
and filth trading urine carriers who bearing the
nosegay continually past you to the gardens OF the
suburbs or the rice fields beyond; and yet some of
the gentlemen here pretend to tell me that the
Chinese are most independent race.
Yesterday, in company with DR.. Lockart, l made
my first tour through the Chinese city, and what
little didn't see during the journey is hardly worth
recording. How wonderful the appearance of all
saw! How deeply intercsting-how singularly diff
ferent from any Of my past experience! As went
from street to street could only articuate, what
place is China! If one city OF medium size can
show you things so novel; what will you see inland,
where millions are congregated within single wall?
Read HUGS romantic tour through the interior part
Of this vast empire, and then reflect and spend
few more hours in contemplating q country and
people 80 able to support themselves without thing
from the Western nations | say, as wander
through this populous city, my senses are severely
taxed at being brought into contact with 80 many
novelties in so limited timc and | can only ex-
press astonshment at every change to find things 80
different onthe spot than pictured in books. We
mutt have walked some two or three miles
through most thckly peopled district, be-
fore we reached the gate, passing countless
men,. women and children, all hqrrying
on with loads of vegetables baskets of fowls, bun
dies Of joss paper and every possible kind of saea
BILE article. The wall is very thick, very high, and
bears the semblance Of strength; but what was my
disgust, to see hung up over the entrance Of the
heavily hung gate, two bamboo cages, each contain
ing human head. The sight was most sickening,
ard FASTENED on, as the Doctor told m. that two
years ago you would have seen two hundred instead
Of two, which was the imperial way of intimidating
the insubordinate, by exposing on the wall of the
city and other conspicuous places the heads and
bodies Of the executed rebels.
How narrow the streets are. l can hardly get
along; and yet it is the same with most of the East
ein cities. What have been the object for it ls
almost impossible TO crowd along; and if you stop
to examine anything that attracts your attention,
the chances are decidedly favorable to your get
ting the end Of coole carriers banboo in your face
for they are continually nalloing for you to clear
the path which is sometimes difficult to do when
several Of them are gradually closing you from
different points, and you have only few feet to
turn in.
In one street we went into coffin makers and
jos paper manufactures; in another rice, and corn
mills and then you would fall in with whole row
Of blacksmths, carpenters, umbrella makers, comb
anufactcries, boots shoes, tailors, bookbnders-
now and then barber, shaving you with his two
inch chisel of o razor over O pastry co0ks-cakes
frizzlipR in the pan. Farther on we came to O beau
fhan thu ton