Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-03-19
YAM POU LEE.
His Experience and Those of Other Yale
Students with the Chinese Authori-

| His Experience and Those of Other Yale
Students with the Chinese AuthOrt-
| [From the New Haven Palladium
Yam POu Lee, one of +he forty-eight
Chinese students who were studying in
American schools and colleges, when
recalled in July, 1881, by the Chinese
government, on account of reports that
the students were losing all sympathy
with their native land, cutting off their
queues, marrying American wives, etc. i,
has returned to America, and is now in
New Haven. Lee was a member of the
present senior class AM always regarded
as the brightest one of the Yale delega
ton. AS a writer and speaker he gave
much prominence, taking high rank as
scholar and winning the defamation
prize in the Gamma NJ Society.
On Lees return to China the students
were inveigled into dark, damp section
A deputy was appointed over them and
his duty was to prevent them from es-
Gaping. The general opinion of the
natives concerning the students and
American education was that Of disap-
pointment. After being detained in con-
tinement for month they were taken to
| Iienteln for examination in one of the
departments Of the government. The
examination was a farce and increased
the officials disgust of our much. boosted
educational system. The officials had
an idea that the boys were well prepared
III the different professions they started
to America to learn, whereas they had
been studying mathematics, Homer and
Virgil IN general way as a preparation
for special studies. So great was the
belief in China that the students had
| adopted American manners that the
deputy who had them in charge gave
each ones queue a personal inspection,
lest, after the manner of some ladies, the
attachment were only temporary.
Lee, with twenty-five others (among
whom was Pom Chin, another "a MANI
was assigned to the naval department,
where he remained nine months. After
vacation of six months. an American in
novation, and obtained only after con-
tinued application, Lee took "French
leave, and entered lawyers Office in
Hong Kong. He occasionally visited
his home in Canton, where his people
were delighted to see him, although of
course his American customs and ways
seemed queer, and they, like a great
many American parents, thought it
strange that college education failed to
receive the best positions in the land.
DR.. Hooper, the well known missionary,
procured employment for Lee, in the
translation of the laws OF the Sandwich
Islands. Lee also supported himself by
teaching evening school, and was always
stimulated by an intense desire to re-
turn to America.
Of the relations of China to England,
Lee says that the latter is jealous of her
interests and intends that they shall be
paramount. England would like to see
France take Tonquin as that would open
up more ports for her commerce. The
British minister promises Lehung
Chang to mediate between France and
China, although the Chinese forces are
IN preparation for war, and should the
French forces attack Bac-Ninh, about
which increasing numbers are gathering,
all China will go to arms. Chinese rail-
roads, Lee says, are rather quiet at
present The foreign residents got per-
mission to put up ten miles of horse-ca
line between Shanghai and Woosung,
but there must have been some tricky
| Ae"AIASOS 4OI SOOA LILO HILL
darlns saw that instead of couple of
lnofensive donkeys, dragging a gaily
painted horse-car through their streets
at harmless rate of speed, real Gin
der factory locomotive, baggage-car,
etc.. with genuine brakeman, who
must have jumbled the names
of those Chinese towns in way to make
his American colleague blush. At first
the officials were too much dazed by the
presumption of the foreigners to make
any decided opposition, but soon Chi
naman was accidently killed by the
road, and the authorities bought it in
at three times the price and tore up
every rail. Donkey travel has assumed
its popularity, and those whose re-
sources do not admit the luxury of Sc
dan chair lament the sudden demise of
q cheap transportation and walk. One
OF the "a men, Pou, is studying for the
second literary degree among the liter.
0ta, and the strictness of the examina-
ton Is evident from the fact that only
about ten per cent of the applicants are
successful. Nun Yea Chung, the pop
ular little coxswain of the Yale crew,
has been in the consulate's Office, but is
now teaching and Engaged on transla-
ton. Chin is the son of a wealthy
farmer, and deciding that China is big
enough tor him, has taken unto himself
9 better half with very small feet and is
happy.