The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-22

comment on the scientific Ignorance than on
the political cruelty OF the age. e
We are compelled to believe alec that Queen
Christina, of Sweden, who murdered her oAra-
mour.- was in morbid mental condition when
she committed the deed; and on the same theory
! account for the hideous and unfeminine
cruelty of Catherine de Medici
Oi the insanity of Frederic william of Prlssla
pave ALREADY spoken; but his unnatural aud
WDlmslcal treatment OF his son and family
was only one of its symptomp He was incon-
sisently avaricious, scrutniZng every house
bold expense with absurd attensIon, and lavish
ing fortunes on his army OF giants. He would
run Ihlough the streets Gaming the oungers and
SorRmen who fell in his way until they roared
for mercy.
Theodore, the late king of Abyssiuia, was
probably mailman. All accounts agree in
representing him as being at first a just, con-
slderate, as well as enterprsing ruler; but under
the excitement and anxiety of domestic alllic-
1ons and the rebellions that took place in his
realm, he became changed to monster like
the Roman enperors Nero, Caleua, and Don't
tian. The latter acts of his reign gave every
evi lence of disordered brain.
Fortunately, our own country has thus far
Oeen mostly free from the rule OF partial luna
ues. Whether the Inconsistencies OF President
Johnson's admnisnatio are due to cerebral
disease or to native obstnacy, prejudice, and
ignorace, cannot, at present, be we'll deter
mined.
The introduction of the telegraph into
China forms a portion of Mr.. Knox's interest
China
During the time of his residence at Pekin as
Minister OF the United states, Mr.. Burlngame
interested himself in endeavorng to introduce
the telegraph into China, and though meeting
with opposition on account of certain superstl-
tions OF the Chinese. he was ultimately success
full. The Chinese do not understand the work
ing of the telegraph-at least the great majority
OF them do not aud like many other people
elsewhere, with regard TO anything incompre-
h., thnu ipnl nA 20 tha 10 81,
satanic origin. They believe the erection of
poles aud the stretching of wires woult disturb
the currents of Fung Shuey (good luck), just as
some OF the residents OF Tennessee aud Alabama,
ten or twelve years ago, believed the telegraph
wires caused lack OF rain. Hence their oppo-
siton to the construction of the telegraph; and
1t remains for the prejudice to be overcome
before electric communication in China will be
a success.
some years ago, as the story runs some
Americans erected line fifteen or twenty miles
long, between Shanghae and Woosung, the place
where all deep dranght vessels approaching
Shaughae are obliged TO anchor. The Chinese
made no interference, officially or otherwise
with the line during its construction, and
allowed 1t to work for some weeks, which ii did
very successfully. They did not investigate its
operations, but supposed the foreigners
employed active and invisible devils to run
along the wires to convey messages. Had these
bearers Of dispatches confined themselves to
their own affairs, their highway would not have
been disturbed; but unfortunately, Chinese
died, one day, in house that was crossed by the
telegraph wire, and actually touched by one of
the poles. 1t is not an unusual thing for Chi
nese to die-thousands of them do so every day
but several friends of the deceased Oriental
set rumor afoat that one of the foreign
courers had descended from the wire and
caused the natives death. A Chinese M % yery
soon m ade short work OF the telegraph line.
In this the Chinese only folio wed the example
OF the Southerners referred to in the preceding
paragraph. When the telegraph line from
Cincinnati 10 New Orleans was built, some of
the people along the route supposed it would
affect the fall of rain and injure the crops.
drouth confirmed them in that opinion, and a
great many miles OF wire were torn oown in
consequence.
TO avoid all possibility of interference with
the proposed line in Cnina. Mr.. BurIingame
by laying 1t in the form OF submarine cable
along the coast. The Government readily
adopted the. suggestion, as it would prevent
any disturbance by snperstitious or ill
disposed persons while the line Was
being tested as soon as the people
were accustomed to its workings and
satisfied of its hsrmlessness, the construction of
land-lines could be ventured. The concession
granted by the Government was accepted by an
American company, which is empo Wered to lay
submarine cables, connecting all the treaty
ports from Canton to Peking. Quite likely, the
submarine telegraph will astonish John China
man a great deal more than a land-lne; if intel
ligence can be flashed instantly along the bottom
of the ocean, where there is no apparent COM
munication, he will be compelled to admit that
visible, tangible wire on land Is safe and
feasible route of communication. While the
cable is in deep water, out OF reach OF anchors,
and only to be touched by the apparatus spe-
eialy designed for its recovery, it will hardly
be liable 10 the calamity that befel the ShaDg-
hae- Woorsung line. Nobody will have a local
habitation in it's vicinity except where 1t is
brought to shore, and even should 1T be charged
with the death OF some unfortunate native, the
next OF kin and the neighbors aud friends OF the
deceased will not be able to wreak their ven
gence and protect others from like m siortune.
When John is convinced that the foreign inno-
walton harms nobody, and is an excellent me-
dunn OF communication, he will be not only
willing, but anxious to extend its benefits
through the whole length and breadth OF The
Middle Kingdom, ana connect the interior and
seabord cities by means OF tue electric wire.
The foreign houses established i'll China will
furnish q large patronage for the telegraph when
lent one 1or the native merchants, and especially
those who compete directly with the foreigners.
In California the Chinese make liberal use of
the telegraph; though they do not trouble them
selves with an investigation of its workings,
they fully appreciate its importance, aud when u
message is retarded from any cause they are as
ready as their paler-faced competitors to make
complaint and demand the reason for delay. In
California all messages must be sent In English
or at all events IN English characters. Gram
matlcal precision is notinsisted upon; If 1t were,
| 1t is possible many natiye-born American
| would find his kilograms refused by the recelv-
| ing clerks on account of deficiencies of St Jle.
John, in California, is atliberty 10 send his mes
sages IN ''pigeon. English, )" aud very funny work
| he makes of it occasionally. Chm Lang, in
Sacramento, ,telegIaphs to Ming Yup ID San Fran
! cisco" ,"You me send one piece me trunk" }" which
means, in plain language, Send me my trunk. /"
Mr.. Yup complies with the request, aud re-
sponds by telegraph, "Me you trunkee you
seudeen His English is more Californian and
less Cantonese than that of his Sacramento
friend. Canton throws in the word "pecee'
! (piecel very often, and the same is the case