Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-12
THE GAZETTE.
FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER IL 1895
an, cpr,r WALL OF CHINA.

.s,;no account Of visit to the prea'
VII Of Cbina:-.The treaties OF Iien-sin
having been rat fled by the Emperor iiien
F,ne. Baron Gros was DESTROYS CT 'isi'ns
the Great Wall, and Of Judging from person
~ observation of the correctness OF the s'a.s'
,,onts representipg it as commencing In '"'
sss at the entrance of the Bay of Leo,uns
A. o'clock in the morning ct the li'u "
Jn,v the Ambassador, followed by DIS seo,e-
- ona at,acbes. embarked on beard 'he
.a' s.nomer the P.esen;. TIC distance Of
60 .olI from the place where tue Aud"cieuse
fr;oate was at anchor was thoogh' 70 DC iu"
20 TO 40 leagues. Towards e'en'n- ~,
W eatber not being very clear, 1t was 'hJ"I"'
n,n1an, nat 70 APPROACH too close TO shore'
pa ,hs s,ecmer came to an anchor IN tie
s. a, daybreak Oh the following ni|i
ing she again got under way; "nu L"d I;ra a
the wall appeared 10 view II iovho ha;,ht
long range Of buildings OF inc t-orn
crsoellated, and traserslug Tue p'ain'
tho sea 10 the foot OF the cha'n Vi inoun'"'"s
wb;cb run parallel with the coast Out a' n'J'o
than a league inlaud. An hour a''er' tne
,aIl with its creneliated top, tor's' Je'''es
runnipp out into the sea, and the paguua on
the shore, were perfectly distinct In oil 'ne'r
details. We had before US the most P't'u'
esoue prospect that can be imagined; aioHS
,be sea coast the vast plain Is covered WIN
,be most luxuriant vegetation with numerous
villages buried 10 trees, and at tue oacA
horizon OF lofty mountains. AT tue 1876 o'
the wall, 90 the side Of China, were seen Tue
b;,e tents of two Tartar camps with their
horses grazing at liberty around. Seen from
,ho Ch,ncse side the wall resembles an I'm.
go ,pork in earth. crowned with clenel-
ia,od uoll in brick, but in very dilapidated
s,ote On the Mantchouria side on the con.
trarv, it is built Of brick On LIQUIDATION OF
stone, Ii has, along the whole length square
towers ut distance from each other OF about
two bowsbots' length, 30 that the enemy
might DO struck from either of them. ltruns
down into the sea by two parallel Jettles, the
incline of which is 80 slight that persoos
landing from u boat may easily walk up them.
The largest vessels may approach to within
about two miles of this spot, which is the
place where future tourists ought to land
L Unfortunately we were not then aware OF this
fact, aud We came to an anchor at spot
where the landing was not very easy. The
shore was sooD covered with Chinese from
the neighborng villages.
NJ. Marques the interpreter to the mission,
and Count d'Ozory, the commaudaDt OF the
Pregent, were the first to 60 on shore, in order
TO confer with the authorities, and ascertain
whether any objection would be made to the
loudug OF the party. a mandarin mounted
on a w bite horse, and followed by two horse
men, arrived from the camp, to inquire what
these meu, come from al unknown world,
wanted. o. receiving pacific assurances
from our Interpreter, he said no opposition
would be made TO the disemb arkation.-
When all were on shore, we proceeded direct
towards the wall. We had to cross several
sea and we we're afterwards Obliged to strike
q little more inland, in order to find ground
rather less moist. AS we approached toward
the wall, we observed the Tartars mounting
their horses, and betraying by their gestures,
considerable emotion. They separated into
three bodles--Une remained on horseback 10
front OF the tents, thus cutting II the road to
the wall, another proceeded nn our lett, where
they alighted among the high grass. and the
third advanced at hard gsllop to meet us.
They asked whence We came, where we going,
and told US that they could not allow us to
advance any further. Their chief, they said.
was absent, and they could not take on them
Ives the responsibility of permitting US to
approach. You may judge OF cur astonisb-
ment when we learned from these men, en-
camped as it we're at the gates o! the capitol
that thay heard nothing OF their country haV-
ing been at war with France and Englaod.--
The taking of Canton, the bombardment OF
Tskou, and the peace concluded at Iien-sin,
they were completely ignorant Of.
After little negotiation we thought we
bad got over our difficulty, and We were al
lowed to advance, hut we had not proceeded
more than 300 or 400 yards when some fresh
horsemen adv anced, and urgently impressed
on US the propriety Of not going any further
With our escort of II men well armed, aud
our revolvers, we might have kept IF those
900 Tartar borsemep, and have mounted the
walls in spite of them, but the Ambassador
was anxious to avoid any dispute, and would
not compromise bis position tor the mere gra
LITIGATION Of curiosity. After having taken a
few sketches, purchased some fans from the
Tartars, and astOnisbed u whole host OF Chi
nese by letting them taste our brandy and
lock at our watches and compasses, Baron
los returned to the boats. These Tartar
horsemen had neither bows nor arrows, but
they all bad matchbox guns slung over their
shoulders. Their powder appeared TO he
very coarse, and, in addition 10 ball, they had
in their cartouche.t oxes small pellets OF lead
Each man carried in his large boots his pipe
and fan. Before leaving the coast we went
in the Pregent to have another view of the
country on the other side of the Great Wall.
opposite the plains Of Msutchours, which
were covered with the most extraordinary
verdure, only to be found in countries where
the ground. after being long buried in snow,
is viviied by hot sun. The wall was SEGA
growing up as it were out Of this exubcrunt
vegetation, and ascending the side of the
mountain, to follow, for more than 600 lea
CUES, the halt savage countries which extend
ss far as the COL fines of Mongolia and the
Kou-Kou Moor. After having for some time
contemplated this magnificent scene, Baron
Cros gave the signal for departure. aud the
Pregent steered for the Toki Islands. where
the Audacieuse frigate Was waiting for U.S."
A LEXANDRIA K f S I A u 7
II The subscriber has opened the Restaurant
lately occupied by Samuel Tennesson, OF Royal