The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-11
WHAT BECOMES OF THE cHINAMEN.

1t may be matter of interest to the reader
to know what has become of this immense
number of unfortunate Cinnamon. State
ments, not very trustworthy, however, have
come to the author from Havana declaring
that there were less than "A, 900 coolies on
that island January l., 1870. He cannot
readily accept this account, because it does
not seem possible that so large proportion
as one-half have died since their arrival
Certain it is that few have ever escaped from
the island, and if there are but $4,000 left
the cholera, yellow fever, and the cruelty of
their taskmasters have been more destructive
the last five years than during the previous
ten. In Peru and the djacent islands the
mortality has been much greater than in
Cuba, owing to the unhealthy atmosphere of
the guano islands, the total disregard of the
coolies health by tasl1masters and the enor-
nous number of suicides. Some few have
escaped from Peru and Chill by smuggling
themselves on board ships bound for the Pa
cific coast of the United States, but the num-
ber is very small.
AMERICA AND oHINA-REsPEcT FOR THE UNITED
STATES.
The author represents that the Chinese
have the greatest respect for America, and
some believe that the two great countries will
some time be united. This "superstitious
notion" taken by itself, seems almost too
absurd to be repeated, and would not have
been in this place but for some strange COR
roborative facts which have recently come to
the writer's knowledge. Ensign Charles
Foster, of the United States Navy, writing
from Shanghai in June, 1857, states that
while they were discussing the propriety of
joining with the English navy for the pur-
pose of bringing the Chinese Government to
better terms the vessel was visited by anative
army officer Upon being questioned about
the indications of war and the idea that the
American nation might take part, she told
his interpreter to say to us that the American
and China nations are brothers. We could
not fight China. The gods had commanded
the shot of Cinnamon to go over the Nell
cans, and the shot of our guns would go
harmlessy over Cinnamon. He firmly be-
lieved that war with America was impossi-
BILE, on religious grounds" How they obtain
these ideas has never been explained, nor has
it ever been attempted although for some
years the fact of their predictions in favor
of Americans has been universally acknow-
| ledged.
CHINESE IDEA OF AMERICA.
An enthusiastic admrer of the Chinese
| character asked Chinese sailor on board of
! an American steamer what was the wisest say
/ ing of the greatest philosopher in the United
/ States, and received in reply perfectly ac-
/ curate quotation from lne declaration OIL In
dependence, stating that SAN men are created
equal and are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights, among which are
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. -
The author does not believe from what he
saw of them in California and in their own
country, and from the testimony of men who
have had the very best of opportunities fol
observation, tLat the great mass of returRing
Chinese have any correct idea of our
system of government. Certain it is that the
rumors which they put in circulation about
it are very far from the truth. 1t is also evi
dent that these faseboods have had creates
influence in aceelerating emigration than the
same number of truths would have had. An
other most powerful reason for their faith il
America is founded on the prompt action Oi
our Government officers in China in the sup
preston of the eoolie trade When the lower
provinces of China were wild with terror, auC
when fathers, brothers, sons, aud daughter,
were being killed, manned, or kidnapped by
the traders, and the gods seemed to have
given the poor laborers INTO the hands Of