The Osceola times., 1886-03-27
ChINA'S PROGRESS.
This Emperor Considers tho Advisabiiity 81
Building a Network of Railways.

Building Network of Railways.
Charles DENLY, United States Minister
to China, has sent some interesting dis
patches to Mr.. Bayard which deal with
two questions of vital import to the de-
velopment and safety of the empire.
The first is the construction of railroads,
which Ii Hung Chang is urging with all
the vigor of his intellect. The other is
the building of a navy to replace the
useless junks which at present fly the
imperial flag, and to organize system
of coast defense adequate to protect the
harbors and shores OF the country. Mr..
DENLY says;
have the honor to state. as a matter
of interest to great many persons in the
United States and as a part of the cur
rent history of China, the position of
that empire as 10 the construction Of
railroads.
The most prominent person in China
to-day is Ii Hung Chang, who is the
Grand Secretary of the empire, Niceroy
of the province, and one Of the heads OF
the Admiralty Board. His residence is
at Tien-Tsin, but he lately spent somo
weeks at Pekin. He has for some years
been in favor of building railroads. He
has had a hard fight in China TO have
his views approved. The opposition
comes chiefly from the Censors and the
Board of Revenue. The Ccnsors rep
resent that numbers of men would be
thrown out of employment, graves
would be dcsecrated and internal
troubles would ensue. The Board Of
Revenue claims hat II railroads are
built the whole revenue service Of China
would have to be changed. 1t seems
likely in effect that the Lekin tax, which
is one Of the chief sources of revenue to
China, would have to be abandoned or
materially modified. This is a consum-
nation that the foreigners most ardently
desire. Ii Hung Chang, through all
the changes of men and measures. has
maintained his power, and there seems
every reason to believe that he will suo.
ceed in his plan of constructing rail-
roads.
| send to the department the dying
memorial of Tso Tsung Tang, which
contains an able presentation of the
argument in favor Of constructing rail-
roads in China. BY way of parenthcsis
! may say that dying official always
leaves posthumous memorial TO the
Government. 1t often happens that
after he is dead some distinguished
honorary Office is conferred on him by
imperial decree. This memorial of Tso
Tsung Tang preceded by few days tho
visit Of Ii Hung Chang to the capital,
and furnished him fine opportunity to
press his railroad views. 1t was con-
sdered, certainly with reason, that the
best mode of inviting the attention of
the members of the Government to the
merits of railroads would be to exhibit
a working model of an American road
way and rolling stock.
Acting upon this popularity COM
plete working-model railroad was pro.
cured from the United States. 1t con-
sisted of one hundred feet of main track
and sidings, with switches and turn.
table, a passenger locomotive and q
tender. mail and baggage cars, passen-
ger cars, Pullman parlor and sleeping
ears. different kinds of freight cars. a
full section of seats and berihs in sleer-
ing car, etc. The cars were five feet
long, and all other parts of the mode.
We're in equal proportion, and care had
been taken TO make the model through
out an exact representation in miniature
of road, locomotive, cars, etc, in
actual use in the United States, COM
plete in the smallest detail. The motive
power was clock-work. This model
was exhibited to the Viceroy,. Ii Hung
Chang. in his yamen at Ticn-Tsin in
September last, and he expressed him.
self much pleased with it, and said he
would exhibit it in Pekn when he went
there in October.
On the 10Th of October the model,
which had been conveyed to Pekin, was
again exhibited before the Viceroy by
his order, and on the following day the
Viceroy presented it to Prince Chum,
the Emperor's father The Prince was
highly pleased Two days later the
Prince sent the model to the imperial
palace, where it was exhibited to the
Emperor and Empress Dowager and
worked successfully. Their Majesties
were much interested and spent some
time in a minute examination of the
model. 1t was the first complete repre-
sentation they had ever seen of the much
talkedof railroad. The event materia-
ally assisted the Viceroy in his advocacy
of railroads for China, and their Maies-
ties lent willing ear to all he had to
say in favor of railroads, and agreed to
allow him to prepare for their introduce
ton into the country.
China has not been standing still
Factories of glass, wooden goods, paper,
etc, equipped in Western st\ee. which
are scattered over the country and
owned by Chinese subjects, are proofs
of her enterprise, and now, if the Gov
ernment takes the question earnestly in
hand, we may look for the wide adop-
ton in China of many of our appliances
and modes of manufacture. - -HdShing-
ton Letter.