The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-11
SKETCHES IN CHINA.

Inin Mansfacteries 80 Han-kow - Mulberry
GrOves-Sungteug Lake.
BAN-Kow May %, 1869.
The Grand Canal, called In Chinese Yun.ho Transit
river, another OF the great works OF China, Is
$50 miles long from Turitsin. In the pro-
vince of Chill, to Han-kow. In the province OF
CheKiang, and varies in width, according to loca-
aion, from one to two hundred feet, and In depth
from twelve to twenty-five feet Its construction
Nas commenced in the seventh century, and finished
In the fourteenth. 1t passes for the most part
Through q rich alluvial country, and communi-
Gates by the yellow fangtsz-ti and smaller rivers
rs well as innumerabe branching canals, with
nearly all China.
Our journey was tedious one of ten days but we
had an opportunity OF seeing life In interior China
rs VIC passed villages constantly ana many large
cities. at some OF which We stopped for some hours
The Chinese showed great curiosity regarding u.s.
particularly the Lady portion OF our company They
followed US in large numbers, commenting on what
was to them our strange appearance. But were
everywhere treated with the greatest courtesy, and
In several instances had visits from tie local digni-
taries who occasionally sent presents OF fowls,
tea, eggs fruit and other matters. In places the
canal is higher than the surrounding country, and
its banks are then lined with cut stone backed by
levee sometimes 100 feet wide. Locks are ire.
Quent and are well constructed, with stone piers.
Chin-kiang was formerly city OF great impor-
tance. 1t Is ct the junction Of the Yangsz-ti
and Grand Canal, $50 miles above Shanghae 1t was
sacked by the British In 184l anu again by the Tae
ping rebels few years ago. but 1t Is now rising from
Its ashes and beginning to be rebuilt in excellent
style. In a few days we proceeded by an American
steamer UP to Nankln, the ancient capital of China,
forty-two miles distant.
Nankin is surrounded by solid wall twenty five
miles long, but its former magnIncence and wealth,
as described by Marco Polo and OF her travellers has
peparte and the city itself is but shrunken plgmy
In the midst of ruins and wall surrounded waste.
IT was the capital of China In the time of the Ming
dynasty, that eliminating period OF Celestial glory
from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, has
passed through many vicssltudes and
the Taeplngs in 1862. IL Is the seat OF the vice.
royalty OF three provinces, and the present viceroy
some boats which conveyed us from the steamer
caused salute 10 be fired In our honor by some
batteries under the supervision OF European Ohcers
on the hills TO the west ana provided with sedan
chars which took us to quarters he mad prepared
Tor us IN a buddhist convent on the following day
we accepted an invitation 10 dine with him, and
were received at the palace with salute OF three
guns, while Chinese band, which resembled in
sound the playing OF a number OF Dagppes. played
aswe passed the gates. L. usually called Ii iutai
Governor General, received US with all courtesy
dining hall. Dinner was elegantly served
IN The European STYLE and consisted Of twenty eight
courses with proluson Oh Wines L. who sat at the
head OF the table ali courtesy but touched nothing
except the wines, which he occasionally sipped
but invariably spat out again, remarkng with wry
face that they sour" Toward the close of the
dinner one OF the servants brought him mess OF
Something resembling meat stewed in sugar which
with the and OF chop sticks. he swallowed IN q man.
nef that showed lie was hungry. On the next day
we Witnessed review of the troops WHO behaved
very credltably had a magnificent view OF the city
the runs, the wall and the surrounding country
from the top of seven stored pagoda, situated on
high hl within the walls visited the ruins Of the
CeleDrated porcelain payoda (Which was de-
ssysd t By as Taes ana got some
evening a sing-song, or Chinese play-acting,
dancing and singing party got up FOR our amuse.
W ~ nnfrh thn ,rt,st
OI the SIN shan palace where the Tapping chief find
Ing his cause ost after setting fire It, hanged him
sell and ms wives. We also visited wondefiul Ming
tolnbs which aretO the east about four miles from
the walls. No remains Of ancient grandeur in the
paved causeway, TWO miles long, and lined on each
side DJ gigantic figures OF elephants, horses, tigers,
feet high. each perfectly formed in proportion and
each chiselled IRON single block Of granite. we
grand amphtheatre OF hils at the Of the base
OF which the tombs are situated, looming up before
U.s. the silent gigantic sentinels besde us, and the
grassy desert stretching Tor miles around, l was
t0rcibly reminded OF the solemn llue
Sic transit gloria mundi
Having reached the tombs we passed fhroue Ii four
immense Ragged court yards, surrounded by massive
walls ana Ofilamened with lofty carved pillars and
arOhes to tine mausoeuln Itself IL IL an Immense
square, SOLID, heavy building. composed OF great
blocks OF marble some VI them hundreds OF tons IN
weight and divided INTO vast chanIbers II Consists
Of stories and Is 10 feet height. We ascended
by a double causeway TO one OF the front chambers
OF the second floor, and then, spreading out our
table cloths and producing some and drinka-
Dies, picnlcked 1t III hearty style. The ridiculous
was truly added to the sublime when of the gen.
tlemen, nlllng up bumper of champagne, invited
sod Ming" to JOIN us and drank his health. After
while we had left the Ming tomDs to their solitary
grandeur and decay. may here mention that the
tombs have never been explored, nor II known
where the ashes OF the imperial line OF the Mngs are
lad
The next day steamer In the Chinese service took
us, by order of ILL., to ku-kiang, two hnndred miles
further up the iangtsz-tl river. Kkiang possesses
very fine foreign settlement and the range OF honQs
along the tunnel surrounded by handsome gardens,
presents line appearance. There Is large export
trade IN green tea Our party went 10 visit the
celebrated porcelain works back OF The CITY, From
China we first derived our knowledge OF porce-
lam, and these WORKS are yet the largest by
far in the world. They cover an OF some
ten miles square and over one hundred thousand
persons are employed in them. They have Deen
over thousand years In operation, ana at one
time during the dynasty OF the biings u million OF
persons were occupied here in the manufacture OF
porcelain II is most interesting instructive to
watch the various processes through when the raw
materials are passed before they become the manu-
Iactured article ana how exqulsitively some OF the
CHINA Is.
From Ku-Kiang we proceeded by steamer 100
miles further up inc river to iiai-kow This great
CITY, or rather collection OF clies for there are
three one at the junction OF the Yanqtsz- II and
Han rivers and is i'll point OF population the largest
IN the world, containing 6,0o0,000 Of Inhabitants.
Thc Immense number OF native craft on the waters
around tho city Is lnc0nceivable. Han-kow has a
large foreign settlement, well built, some OF the
Ennlsn anu american nongs presenting spendid
and southwestern CHINA, US well Us from O large
poruon OF Central ASIA nows. 1t Is the ST. LOUIS OF
Tue fangtsA-u, aS ShanRhae Is lts New Orleans
great valley stretches back of Han-K0w, with the
richest alluyial land In China, and producing,
among many other things, large crops OF
cotton aud SILK, while along the hiIis to
the southwest and on the banks OF the
smuggling lake are immense tracts covered with
plantations OF tea. The groves OF the white mulberry
cultivated Tor the feeding Of the silkwori are very
beautiful and II was most interesting to watcn the
various stages, from the Matching OF the silk worms
eggs TO the production OF the fine silk or velvet Inc
Ieeding OF the caterpillar little rays divided o
into compartments. me forming OF the cocoon inc
liiament vi which proceeds from Two little oriflces
IN the mouth OF The insect, ana which IL elcases
ITSELF the subJecting OF the tu gentle neat
50 as 10 XIII tue chrysalis the dipping OF the cocoons
III warm water IN basins SO 10 soften the pnIuny
substance with which they invested the weayiny
OF the nbreS of four .s