National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-11

. closed box-house, the sides Of which are
pierced with large pointed nails, each Of which
has its price put upon Its outside, so that If any
one wishes to be good he can pay the money
through q ohink. and draw out the nail, thus re-
evlng the Wretched godrestorer Of one Of his tor
ments, and paying SO much toward the repair Of
the god. There Is nothing but stool in the house;
50 that the devoted priest cannot rest except in
the sitting posture. The devotes in this priekly
oel had been there for two years. and incessantiy,
night and day, pulled rope to large bell, to let
the world know what he had to endure. Scarcely
less strange and curlousy cruel Is the sefimposed
iotot Chinese student, competing to become one
OF the ten thousand senior optfnnes: shut up
IN Q marrow cell, hitting one board, writing on
another, for three days and nights at time, with
out books or notes, writing entirely from memory
upon paper carefully stamped to prevent any
other being used. These fanatic philosophers
viii 20 on for life, oftsn growing old and dying
before they succeed IN passing. As there is NO
exit door from the great examination building,
when student dies q hole Is made in the wall to
get rid Of him. But the Emperor himself Is 9
sort Of Hermit Of State he is compelled to live in
secluson, and be worshipped like god. Mr.
Simpson has succeeded In copying portrait Of
him by Q native artist, which represents him as
. rather ood-looking, fslr-skInned man, with not
very Tartar features, seated with his hands on
at least an inch and . half beyond the points OF
the fingers" ..
ALSACELORRAINE.
The SehIsssisehs Presss gives some interesting
particulars as to tho present state OF the fort
resses OF Alsscs-Lorrsine, which are Interesting
In view fthe critical state of the relations be-
tween France and Germany: -
At Metz the new works are now nearly COM
pleted. Most Of the old French forts have been
retained, the Germans having only made addi-
lions to them. Fort st. Privat, however, has
been pulled down, and in its place q new fort has
been built 800 metres 10 advance Of the old one.
Fort st. Quentin has been surrounded BY ne"
large fort, to which It now acts as o sort OF re-
doubt Besides this work, large fort has been
erected on the western slope Of the Mont st.
Quentin, commanding the whole extent OF the
hill on that side which is 092 feet high, and also
the valley Of the MoseIle above Metz. The au-
thorities have for the present given up the idea
of certifying Mont ST. Blsise, which, though It
occupies o commanding position, is nearly II, 900
metres from the town. 1t is also proposed to oOn-
meet the forts Of Belle Croix and Moselle with the
town Notifications and to pull down the works
behind them. All the forts communicate with
each other and with the town by means Of rail-
ways.
the Rhine (Nos. 1 TO Ky are to be completed this
summer. The three forts on the right bank
around Kehl, which were planned by General Won
Kameke last autumn, are now In course Of con-
struction. The circular railway is completed, but
1t is to be altered in consequence Of the establish
ment Of the central railway station at Kehl to the
north Of the place formerly occupied by the cIts-
del. The railway has been used for hauling stone,
wood, &C., for the new forts. The stone has been
mostly obtained from the demolished fortresses
of Schlettstsdt and Pfalzburg. All the forts are
from six TO seven kilometres distant from the city,
and they are separated from each other by inter-
walls Of about 1000 metres. Between tho forts bat
teries Will be erected, each to contain eight guns
Tho forts will be lighted with gas, and each will
have its own supply Of guns and ammunition,
with powder magazines and provision storehouses.
All are provided with apparatus for producing
electric light and in most of them there is also
depot Of carrier pigeons.
The works Of Bitsch have been all destroyed,
except the CASTLE which is regarded as almost In
accessible, and is armed with eighteen guns.
Various plans have been prepared for strengthen
ing Neu BreIsach and Thionville, but none Of
them have yet been adopted. These fortresses
are still armed with the old French guns. The
plan of establishing an Intrenchel camp at Null
house has been abandoned.