The New York herald., 1872-08-23
CHINA.

Damages by tho Late Floods In and
Around NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Losses
and Great Suffering of the People
Dead Bodies Fl0ated In the River
Rights or Foreigners.
Fatal Consequences OF the Late Floods.
The late foods with which we have been visited
have done no particular damage to foreign
houses here In Tientsn. The rains found out the
weak places on the roofs Of houses and godowns,
and the water from below came through the cellars
to the height of about two feet-otherwse little
damage was done. About Tientsin the plain on
both sides the river is still covered with
water, but 1t is subsiding-most likely by
evaporation-for hereabouts nothing has been
done which should have been done in the
way Of drainage. Ii Hung Chang the British
Minister tells U.S. Is an energetic man; but II 80, In
these quiet, peaceable times, he has not shown
much energy about Tientsn. The plain around us
admits OF easy drainage into the Pelho and the
land now under water for so long would, II
drained, have produced most excellent crops, as
other flooded landsin the neghborhood have done !;
the cultivation OF these lands would nave given
these lands would have been sufficient to feed
many thousands, but the country all round the city
and settlcment-where we must regard drainage
IN q sanitary point OF vlew-renlains under water,
and the consequences are how, as were to be ex-
pccted people half.starved and half.clothcd and
unsheltered during tho inclement winter. They
now said to be dying at the rate OF upwards OF
one hundred every day In and about the city, and
ten to twelve OF these poor people are being buried
In q trunk at one time without collins
Several bodies may it IL said, DO seen almost
daily floating down the river.
During winter the poor people get only about
tw0-thlrds to threefourths OF their normal allow.
ance OF food from the mandarins. good deal OF
clothing was sent up from the south-but little
compared to what was required by those who had
lost their ALL Most OF the foreign residents have
generously subscribed considerable sums, which
were distributed by the foreigners personally at
several OF the villages around Ticntsln, and were
most Thankfully received by the poor people.
On ISy visiting the city one day poor man asked
me II Foreigners we're going TO do anything to as
sist them. told him the :are0ners had subscribed
large sum OF money, which wOuf, &c given TO the
poor BY and by. The man said he hoped j. would
not be given through the mandarns, as the
poor would then see but little OF IT, All
through the winter about One-syth
of the entire space within the city walls
was covered with ice, with filthy water below The
population within the walls cannot be more than
90, ,00O but city and subnrbs-the lattcr extending
for miles on both sides OF the river-are estimated
TO contain In all about 800 900; az large If not
larger population, than Pekn has. The latter
city by travellers and residents has been variousiy
estimated TO contain from 800 900 to 600 600 sons
About the country outside the south walls OF the
city lie many OF our brave soldiers who helped TO
take the Taku forts, and who fought their way To
| the walls Of Pekin. The monumental have almost
| entirely disappeared and the better class tomb
stones are much defaced by the action OF the frost
and water. ! hope the British government VIII see