Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-04
F00-CHOW AND KELUNG.
The Chinese Towns Now Threatened
by the French men-of-War.

II
by the French meR-of-War.
From all the descriptions that can
be gathered of it the Chinese city of
Foo-Cho@, now threatened by
French feet, under Admiral Courbet,
more nearly resembles Chicago in
size and appearance than any other
city in this country. Unlike Chicago,
however, Foo Chow, though situated
on a plain, is surrounded by a splen-
did amphitheatre of hills, about four
miles distant from the walls of the
city. Foo-Chow is one of the treaty
ports of China, that is, city open to
foreign trade; hence the Importance
attached to the present struggle, not
only by France and China, but by all
nations trading at Foo-Chow. 1t is
called by the natives Hockchin, or
happy city-not overly happy to-day.
1t lies IN latitude 26 degrees min
utes north and longitude 119 degrees
20 minutes east, on the northern side
of the river Min, thirty-four miles
from its mouth and nine from Pagoda
Island, on the eastern mainland of
China and about opposite the town of
Kelung, a hundred and fifty miles
east, on the northern coast of the
Island of Formosa, the Straits of For
moso running between the island and
the Chinese mainland in this latitude
and connecting the China and the
Eastern Seas, which are all mere
shore washings of the North Pacific
0-3ealls
CHARACTER OF THE CITY.
The population of Foo-Chow is
variously estimated at from 600, 600
to /, 000,00 The city itself is regu-
larly built, but the streets, though
paved with granite and IN many in
stances planted with trees, are filthy
beyond Chicago even, and most of
the time swarmIng with beggars. The
houses are mostly of wood, one story
high, with tiled roofs. Great mum
bers of the Inhabitants live in boats
on the river. But there are many
solid and handsome buildings and
numerous imposing temples. Outside
the walls of the city the suburbs ex-
tend for three or TOUR miles on both
sides of the river Min, reaching clear
to the surrounding hills. These sub
urbs are connected with each other
and small islet in the river by
stone bridge built IN the eleventh cen
fury. The scenery IS bold. Some of
the hills north of the city are 3, 600
feet high. Opposite Foo Chow the
land is lower, and the suburb is built
upon an island, formerly the division
of the main channel, seven miles
above the city. The branches reunite
at Pagoda Island. This island and
the PLAIN on each side form a large
basin, about twenty miles long by
fifteen wide. The numerous stores of
the city are stocked with profuslon
of goods of rather poor quality. They
are quite open and these, together
with the crowds that iostle each other
in the streets, present the appearance
of a market place.
INHABITANTS AND INDUSTRIES.
Portions of the east and south quar-
ters OF the city are inhabited by the
Mantchoo Tartars, who number about
fifteen thousand They are of larger
and finer form than the average Chi
nese, and their women do not com
press their feet. At the Pagoda an
chorage there is an immense arsenal
and dock-yard, built in foreign style
by officers of the French navy long
ago. Above this place the water is
too shallow for large vessels to pro
coed safely. The foreign settlement
and consulates, the places now first in
danger, are about three miles down
the river from the city. Foo Chow is
the seat of a Viceroy or Governor
General, whose jurisdiction extends
over Fokien and Chekiang, its ada
cent northern province. Foo-Chow
is a great literary centre and has a
literary chancellor. Numerous gen
try and men of scholarly tastes, who
have retired from other parts of the
empire, reside at Foo Chow. There Is
a large provincial hall, which con
tains about ten thousand cells, where
literary graduates of the first degree
who desire TO compete assemble.
There are several cotton, paper and
hardware manufactures, and several
hundred furnaces for making porce-
lain, and factories for the manUfac-
ture of blue cloth and screens. There
are lead mines close by in the hills,
and an immense tea-growing district
about 20 miles distant The principal.
exports are black teas, timber, bam-
boo, fruits, orange peel, potash,
spices. grain, copper and lead. A
first class quality Of tea can be pun.
chased cheaper at Foo-Chow than at
Canton-hence yesterdays rise in the
London market. The entrance to the
river leading up to the city is marked
by bold peaks and highlands, all now
swarming Nth natives anxious for
the results of the French invasion.
PROSPECT FROM THE WALLS.
The walls of the city are about
thirty feet high and twelve wide at
the top. The gates, seven in number,
are overlooked by high towers smaller
guard houses stand upon the walls at
short intervals. i'm which q few soldiers