Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1869-06-10
Gbe Ga2ette allg Comet.
The Capital of China.

brick, but the prevailing building
material is the adobe-a sun-dried
brick, made in the same manner
as the Israelites made them for
the Egyptians. The roofs OF the
houses are generally covered with
tiles, and universally have the in
clination Of tent corner-follow-
ing the customs of their nomadic
ancestors, who lived in tents. Win
dow glass is almost unknown IN
China, oiled paper being used as
substitute, admitting light dimly.
The streets are unpayed and very
filthy. In wet weather they are a
sea of mud, and in dry weather
form a bed of dust. The onl y pub
lie conveyances in Pekin are COW
cred carts, without springs strong
unwieldy vehicles, made for endur-
ance more than comfort. In fact
the torture of riding in one of
them through the rough, unpaved
streets or broken highways can
never be described. The passen-
ger gets in and sits cross-legged
on some cushions, with a curtain
drawn in front to prevent being
smothered with dust. A little win
dow Of gauze on each side admits
the old light to cheer your misery,
and you desperately brace your
self against the sides or back, ex-
pecting a dislocation Of frame at
everyjolt. There is not a single We
hicle on springs in Pelin, and with
the present streets and roads would
be quite useless. The carriage
which Lord Mccartney brought
the Emperor as present from the
English Government in the last
century has never been used. La
dies and men of wealth and rank
are carried in palanquins borne by
coolies. A 5Pekin cart cost as
much per hour as a cab in London,
and q palanquin, with four coolies,
is equal in expense to carriage in
New York.
The winter in Pekin is severe,
and the question Of fuel may prop
erly be asked. Coal is known to
exist in great quantities in the Vi
entity, and was used by the Chinese
a thousand years ago as fuel, but
they have never opened the mines
by any underground workings for
fear they would destroy the equili-
brium Of the earth; and turn the
Celestial Empire upside down.
The question Of allowing the coal
mines to be opened is now being
discussed, and if their prejudices
and superstitions should be over
come, a great resource would be
created and employment given to
an over-crowded population.
The use Of gas is yet a mystery |
to the Celestials, lanterns, lamps,
and candles answering their pur-
poses as well as they did their an
cestor's. An experiment is now
being made at the Office of the I'm
perial Customs, under the super
intendence of Robert Heart, In
spector General Of Maritime Gus
toms, who may cause the illumina
ton of China in more ways than
one. as from his official position
and peculiar relation to the Chi
nese Government, he can exercise
large influence for the progress
and improvement Of China than
any other man in the empire.
The police of the city Of Pekin
is rigid enough, as it is great cit
adel and city of officials. The
night Waterman goes round twist |
ing rattle or beating two sticks
together all night, to warn thieves
that he is about, on the principle |
that prevention is better than cure.
The Chinese formerly made gigan
tic improvements in canals, and
the interior communication by wa
ter is wonderful, but they have no
sewerage in their cities and no |
idea of introducing water for the |
use of the inhabitants-perhaps |
they have no use for it; they drink
and never wash themselves. In |
Pekin the water is drawn from
wells, but it is very hard The wa
ter in the canals and lakes in the
city is covered with a green scum,
which detracts somewhat from the
beauty of the scenery as well as
the desire to use it.
If some Baron Hauseman would
raise in Pekin, and had a Napo-
leon to sustain him, it might be
made delightful capital. A rail-
road of 600 miles would reach the
sea at the mouth of the Peiho
river. Agricultural resources and
fruits are abundant. The pastures
of Mongolia furnish the finest