The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-17
AROUND THE WORLD.
General Grants Farewell
to Iientsin.
BANQUETS AND MUSIC.
How the Ladies Were Placed at the
Viceroy's Banquet.

The announcement that the Richmond had arrived
the mouth of the Pei-Ho River to convey General
Grant and his party to Japan came to us in Pekin.
On orr return to Tientsn General Grant made his
arrangements to leave Immediately. message
from the Viceroy however, that he wished confer
ence on public matters detained the General. The
result this conference given in previous letter
should say however. several conferences. aDd not
one alone The viceroy seemed anxious to be as
much as possible with the General during his stay
All the traditions of Chinese and hatred OF
foreigners vanished. Heretofore disting uished men
who had visited China either as seekers for the
curious and quaint or as ambassadors OF rival ana
not always friendly Powers. You can well under
stand that China would look with reserve upon the
friendship of Powers whose most conspicuous con-
tributions Chinese civilization are the burning OF
the summer palace and the opening of the opium
trade. General Grant represented a nation whose
relations to China had always been friendly and
sympathetic who had policy in the East incon-
sistent with the independence of the country, and
which because of the emigration to China and from
other causes was becoming most important Fur
thermore no foreigner of the distinction and ante
cedent rank of General Grant had visited China.
1t happened that there were points of resemblance
in the of the Vceroy and the General that in
terested the former. Beyond this the political con-
dtion of China not alone in its relations to the out
side world, but in the development of home affairs
is such to make its statesmen anxious for
wisdom and information and sympathy. There
were many questions discussed between the viceroy
and General Grant that have not found place in
my narrative But l have doubt that the desti-
MES of China and the policy of her government will
show the influence and wisdom Of the General.
L1-HUNa CHANG AND GENERAL GRANT.
This opens up field of inquiry which would in
terrupt my narrative and to which must recur
again when free from the furry aud Of this
pageantry and able to consider the altered state of
affairs in China and the possibilities Of her future.
That to me involves the gravest problem of the age
and which peculiarly concerns the United States.
When General Grant returned to Tientsin he became
the guest Of Judge Denny our esteemed and popu-
lar consul. Mr.. Detring the customs commissioner,
gave dinner and evening party in honor OF General
Grant and the Viceroy. As have said, the Viceroy,
for the first time in his and in tho
career of Chinese statesmen has met Europeans in
social intercourse, at dinner table with ladies
present Woman does not hold position in China
that justifes Cinnamon in meeting equal even
the ladies OF European and American families. Ac-
cordingly. when the viceroy expressed his willing
ness to attend dinner parties at which ladies were
present there was some anxiety to know what
should be done with them. Mr.. Dillon. the French
Consul, solved the problem by massing all the
ladies together on one side of the table and the
gentlemen on the other The viceroy and General
Grant walked in alone and ahead. Then the ladies',
while the remainder of the guests placed themselves
in the odd spaces Mr.. Detrng made step il ad-
at his dinner, and the ladies went in to dinner
escorted by the gentlemen in European fashion.
the viceroy walking ahead and alone. The dinner
served in temporary dining arranged on
the veranda. with flags of all nations forming
shelter There We're forty guests present in
Guiding the Viceroy and suit, General
Grant and party. Mr.. Seward, Minister.
who had just come from America the members of
the Consular body and their wives. officers Of the
navy and leading citizens In all there were about
fifty guests. When the dinner Mr.. Detring
arose and made brief speech in the name Of the
Viceroy. In this speech the viceroy spoke with
feeling Of the pleasure it had given him to meet
General Grant, how he had looked for his coming,
how anxious he was to meet him. how much he had
enjoyed the visit, and hoped that General Grant
would not forget him when he returned home, but
regard him a friend and admirer. The speech
manly and simple. but its real value in the
fact that it the speech of the foremost man in
China-of man whose name will be remembered as
among the greatest of Chinese soldiers and states
General Grant acknowledged the viceroy's
speech.
HOW THE MUSIC SOUNDED.
The address of General Grant was translated to the
viceroy. who remained standing during the delivery.
He bowed his thanks and then proposed the health
of Mr.. Seward. the American Minister to China. Mr.
Seward. who has just returned from terrible con
test home involving his honor and his office. was
we'll received. He made few remarks expressive OF
his pleasure Mt being again in China. and espe
eially at the honor paid HIM by Li-Hung Chang
whom he had known tor 80 many years. The dinner
over strolled about the grounds. Among the
illuminations was one OF Chinese lanterns formed
so to represent the name OF the Vice
roy Chinese character. There wore
juggers. whose tricks interesting but not very
wonderful, and in time became tedious. The General
and yiceroy remained until midnight. After they
had retired there dancing. The music came
from the band of the United States steamship Rich
mond which Captain Benham sent mp The pres
ence of this band in Tientsin event of tran
scendent Importance. The European colony in
TientsiD has never been more than handful 1t
lives isolated from the outside world. When the
band came and marshalled its meagre numbers on
the deck OF the Ashueiot. and broke out with God
Save the Queen and Hail Columbia" the town rose
and Hooked to the river ana signtseers peddlers aud
gamblers hurried away to witness the revela-
ton 1t the first band that had been heard
in Tientsin. Tentsin Is charming. cultivated
society, and the Europeans solace their Punishment
with nothing so much as music. but it
had been the music of the piano and flute
and fiddle. But music coming in force, with drum
and bugle and braying trumpets asserting itself
over the whole settleinent-this had never before
been known in Tientsin. To the Chinese the pand
was simply new phase of that foreign barbarism
aud deviltry which is always assuming new shapes
on the coasts-now steam engine, now u telegraph.
now band! To the foreigner II brought all the
memories of home for the music was honest homo
music-Danube Wazes end 'Sberman's March
and "Hail, Columbia" and steady going heel and toe
dancing music. For you must know that the band
s the creation of Lieutenant Commander Clarke, OF
the Richmond, and that practical sailor would
allow Wagner fancies or other eccentricites the
part of his boys. SO they pulled and banged and
footed good. old fashioned music--beer garden and
Central Park melodics--and the days OF Punishment
at Tientsin lost their gloom.
JUDGE DENNIS MAsrERLy STRATEGY
When returned from Pekin. Tientsip was
thrilling with the ecstasy OF the band, and little
children who had never been home were in u won
derland over this strange enhancing phenomenon.
Judge Denny. however, seemed to take serious
view of the phenomenon. The cx-President
immense attraction and his presence gave dignity to
the Consulate and brought the crowd. but no ex.
President-not ali the ex Presidents. beginning with
the venerable shade OF Washington-could stand the
rivalry of that band. and as patriotic American SC
long as General Grant remained in Tientsin there
must be no successful rivalry. With the instinct
Ilal. laI md