The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-09-07


Aasas. but Better o. shsre.
Capt. Davis Of the steamship Pembroke
shire has had years Of experience In trading
at Chinese ports and has employed the China
mon regularly on board his ship In various
capacities. In speaking Of the characteristics
OF the Chinese when afoat he said yesterday
TINT they are unexeeed as firemen on board
steamers. They work twelve hours out OF
twenty-four In the stokehole. whore the tenn
perature averages over 1907 constantly. The
labor Of shovelling coal Is very severe. 40 sea-
mon on deck and aoft they arc not SO good.
They have the physical strength to pull on .
rope. but they are not sailors.
How will they compare with Frenchmen In
that respect 2" was asked.
They are not a. good sailors. but thoy have
greater endurance"
Have they any pluokF'
Plenty Of II In defending themselves about
decks. Tho white sailors do not impose on
them aboard ship. They can take their own
part every time. II you compare them In this
respect with Frenchmen should say that In .
stand up fight tho Chinaman would knock out
his opponent. But when you como to man
ship with Chinese and expect them to make .
nrst-cass crew. you find yourself In bad pro-
dicament. Tho Chinese navy has no show
Whatever against tho French. Their navy 10
composed Of two classes Of ships. the iron
steamers and the junks. Tho junks are we'll
represented by the pictures you have soon In
books OF travel. They are all armed with six
or eight guns each. but what can they
dor 30 far they have served as cot
Ans for their crews who wore drowned after
they had surrendered. Many Of the
iron steamers were built in England. They
were constructed on EXCELLENT PRINCIPLES. and
are very fine ships. They are armed with
to train the crews. But with all that the ships
and ths cr.ws are not match NC ior the grea ny
iron steamers in the Chinese navy is very large.
They have launched six or eight gunboats
themselves at Shanghai tho past year to ny
architects. They are first ciass OF their kind.
but they are too small. China has no hope ut
Are there many white men among the
mo. They have never had more than three
or four to shin. say master. a chief officer.
and gunner. These have been gotten rid Of
"What do the Chinese sailors look like 2"
The Captain called to pass ing officer
Soon a round faced Celestial, clothed as II
Just from laundry. came trotting aloe g and
vs h Sst Fl so a Ga ybse
bling his head down and punching his right
fore TS up S past ne brm q ia PMs cloth
toes turned In. his hands limp. and with the
knuckles to the front. and his shoulder crowd
ing his lungs very hard. The Captain laughed.
The spectacle was comical.
Are all Chinese sailors like that ."
He is very good Chinaman Kong AsinR
can RYE any, any Th's man on the ship good
You have seen the Chinese troopsf'
Yes. They are uniformed In the hues OF
the rainbow. besides black and white. Imag-
Inc 100 lRundrymen In scarlet blouses and royal
purple trousers drawn up In line. adjoining
them company in pure white. then COMPANY
| In bright xroen. and then ono In light
blue and you have Chinese regiment.
When they march they lift up their feet like
cats In the snow. But In spite Of these po-
GHlarIties. they will make i warm for thu,
Il their officers have prontsd at al by the In
years they will make a good fight. ! Judge OF
| shore. In the open field. they will have some
| chance to show what they can do They will
| fight then as they do singy when forced to 1t.
| In those miserable lunks and In tho small
steamers no one could hope to do anything but
| sink with colors flying"
DO the Chinese still believe in the efficacy
| Of stinkpots p
II think not 1t is one OF the few weapons
| they have discarded us relics OF barbarism. but
| there Is no doubt but what they will strive ia
| strike terror into the hearts Of the onemy by
making loud and unearthly noises. Just ne
| We used to read they did In the wars
Of q hundred years ago. A description
| Of battle between Cinnamon and Frenchmsn
| II described accurately md in detail. would
| mako very interesting reading"