The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-03

The celebrated Porcelain Tower near
Nanting, China, is described by trav-
eler, who says:
In the quiet evening we made our
way out of the city by the south
gate, through well constructed
tunnel, and shortly stood upon an emf
neuce whose surface was a mass OF debris
consisting Of broken bricks, tiles and
plaster several feet thick. This was all
all that was left Of that which, for its
historic beauty, the ingenuity Of its con-
struction and its great cost, took rank
with the wonders of the world - the
famous Porcelain Tower. IL must have
been very beautiful in its perfection, If
we accept the statements of its various
historians, who differ so little in their
accounts that one does for all. From
them we learn its form was octagonal,
nine stories high, tapering as IL arose to
the height Of 26l feet from the ground,
the circumference of the lower story be-
ing 100 feet.
The body Of the pagoda was of brick,
but its face was composed of porcelain
tiles Of many colors. Each story formed
a kind Of saloon, through which ran the
spiral staircase leading to the summit,
aud whose walls are covered with small
I girlled idols resting in inches, the entire
apartment richly painted and gilded.
I Each story was defined by projecting
cornice of green tiles, from whose points
gilded bells we're hung.
The roof was oveTlaid with copper,
and above it rose a mast thirty feet high,
/ capped by a golden ball and coiled about
an immense band of iron, appearing
/ like rings from below. The base Of this
shaft was an iron ball formed OF two
halves, the outer surface of which is
magnificently embossed. | say Is, for
Oue-halfres where it fell, the only tang
/ IDLE thing In the mass of ruin. The
other half, weighing twelve tons, being
broken by the fall, was recast into a
I temple bell.
Standing before the half which is left,
we query who were they that fashioned
this beautiful casting, worthy the hand
of a master. Whose writing aud in-
scription embellished its face unlike any
/ Chinese workmanship. Whose skill was
great enough in A. d. 1870 to place ball
Of iron thirty-six feet iD circumference,
weighing twenty-four tons, upon ped
estai 26l feet high ? This ball was the
receptacle of various treasures calculated
to ward of evil influences, among which
were "night shining jewels" pearls,
I BOOKS, gOlus sllNeTs luouSdAhS VI ohiiuk-
of cash, satin, silk and priceless medi-
cine.
The number Of bells on the structure
was l52, and the interior was illumin-
ated by several hundred lamps, while
the exterior required 12S to light IL. II
took nineteen years to build il and cost
S3.Sl5, ,97s.
OF all this, not one story rests on the
other; lightning, fire and war have laid
their hands upon it and il fell, its final
destroyers being the Tapping rebels
about twenty years ago. IL stood in the
grounds OF Buddhist monastery
which fell at the same time a prey tC
the fanaticism and rapacity of the in.
vaders. One work of art within the
grounds escaped destruction, a pure
white marble tortoise, bearing upon hi,
back a perpendicular tablet with an In.
scription. This, with one solitary priest
keeps watch and ward over the ruins o.
bygone glory.