Montgomery County sentinel., 1878-09-27

ordinary men of the age. It is yet in
the memory of some that at an official
diplomatic dinner given by President
Pierce, where five foreign nationalties
were represented, Mr. Gushing converscd
easily with each one in their native
tongue. The French negotiated SINH
lar treaty the next year, 1915. Thus
England, the United States and France
formed the treaty powers, having vested
rights; all other nations being there
only by sulferauce
These treaties opened The five ports
before enumerated to residence and trade,
subject to a tariff of duties, import, ex-
port and tonnage dues, eacIi nation re-
serving the right to try their own sub
Ijects or citizens under their respective
laws. 10 carry out the provisions of
this treaty, an act of Congress was APP
proved August II, 1913, extending the
laws of the United States over all citizens
in China, and confering judicial powers
on our consuis, with appellate jurisdic-
ton vested in the ministers in certain
cases. This act of Congress few people
understand. Mr.. Webster, who drew it
up in conformity to the treaty of Wan
ghia, stated to the committee when he
submitted it, that it was remarkable that
a Republican government should by law
confer such autocratic powers on their
agent abroad over their own people"
"This power does not include Hong
Kong"
mo, that is British colony known
as Victoria. Col. Mosby probably is
not aware of this fact. At Canton, to
which port he was first appointed, he
would have been supreme at Hong
Kong he is merely commercial con-
sui. He can be tried by the British
courts for any violation of law, whereas,
if he were a judicial consul he would be
the Judge of his own actions"
"EIow large is China ?"
1.-THE empire contains 100000
square miles, with population various
ly estimated from 800, 900, 900 to 500
000,000 the census of 1850 fixing it at
the latter figure Taking the former,
however, 500, 100000 China is loss
donsely populated than England, the for
mer having 277 souls to the square mile,
the latter 297. The most learned savans
fix the population of the globe at | 200.-
600, 000 At this estimate China rep
resents one-third of the human race
These people come to us skilled in the
arts of peace, agriculture, horticulture.
and manufactures of whom can read
and writc-whose dynastic history dates
back to the fabulous times: whose gov
ernment it carried on by officers dis
tinguished for merit and talent alone,
wealth Or consanguinity being Of no
avail The government is monarchical,
and the Emperor father of all He ap-
points all the higher officials. and for
merit and talent alone. His decrees are
made known through the Pekin Ga&eae,
an official bulletin published monthly at
the capital"
"Is that the only Chinese paper pub
lishcd %
"The only one"
"And only published once month ?"
"That is all. 1t contains no news;
nothing but the edcts of the Emperor
The empire is subdivided into eighteen
provinces, presided over by governor,
and two or more Of these have a govern
or-gencral or yiceroy. Uunder these are
all the minor officers necessary to
good and efficient government down to a
district magistrate answering to our JUS
tice Of the peace"
GLOW is the rank known or de-
clared p
"The general classification Of officers
is three, civil, literary and military -
These are again sub-divided into nine
divisions each, and are distinguished BY
the color Of the button on their cap, as
are the army and navy by the shoulder
strap. The civil and the literary officials
are appointed by the Emperor from the
list Of successful candidates at the COM
petitiye examinations held at the Han
lin college every three years; open to all
rich or poor, high or low. This insti-
tuition was established in 1886 B. 9 and
has always boon held in high respect
throughout the empire. II is said the
average number who apply is about 49,
900, Of whom about ! 800 pass. Their
names are sent TO the cabinet at pekin
and become at once oxpcctants, are as
signed to duty as the exigoncics Of the
government may require. IL should be
here mentioned that an officer is mover
assigned to duty in n province whore be
lives. This is to provide against undue
influence"
what kind of an army do they
have Z"
"Thc military is the lowest Of the
three grand grades, and are almost all
Tartars. When assigned 10 active duty
they are generally placed under the COM
mand Of the viccroy or governor where
their services are required, thus preserv-
ing even in war the supremacy Of the
civil authority"
"Tbcir achievements, however, arc
mostly those Of peace 2"
"Hes. Their superior training as
scholars and diplomats is notably ia their
favor in all their intercourse with for
eigners, beginning with Lord McCart-
ney, down, including Lord Amherst,
Sir Henry Pottinger on the part Of the
English Cushing, Marshall and Bur
lingame on the part Of the United States,
but the guns Of the foreigners and their
ships Of war at the Bogne, Shanghai.
Nan Kin and at the Peiho we're TOO much
for people poorly armed aud unframed
in the art Of war 49, understood by west I