The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-08-21
KITES OF THE FAR EAST.
AZ Once the Envy and Despair of Civilized
Western Youth.

One might wander about the national
museum for half year without taking
notice of collection of extraordinary
Chinese kites which are suspended over.
head in the middle of the west wing.
Nevertheless, they are well worth look.
ing at, exhibiting as they do versatile
ingenuity of device in flying apparatus
undreamed of by Europeans or Amer.
leans.
The small boy of the United States,
born an inventor because he is Yam
kee, thinks he is performing a feat if he
succeeds in causing to soar simple
pentagon of sticks and paper, of most
primitive shape, with tail of rags.
Such continuance, in comparison with
the scientific kites of China and Japan,
is the merest crudity, unworthy of a
civilization that vaunts itself superior
to hoary and effete east.
Can the youth of this continent afford
to confess a mechanical inferiority to
Chinese and Japanese of equal age?
Assuredly not. And yet it must be adj
mitted that the adolescent intelligence
of those races would regard the kites
one sees in this country with an utter
and superior contempt.
The Caucasian kite bears the same re.
lation to the Chinese flyer as is borne
by the flint Ratchet to the modern ak.
1t represents the acknowledgement of
primary principle, improved upon by
thought. In the collection spoken of
Ii 1n oh ~ o,,Ie
cranes, owls, gigantic flies and enor-
nous locusts.
Speaking of lOcusts, one is reminded
of a certain novel. translated from the
English into French, in one chapter of
which there was mention of the hero S
tying his horse to locust tree in front
of the heroine's door when about to
make her visit.
Unfortunately the translator thought
that the word locust referred to the
insect of that name, and explained the
matter in an off-haud fOot-note, which
said that in the United States locuSts
frequently grew to such gigantic size
that they were stuffed and utilized at
the curbstone for fastening horses to-
However, that has nothing to do with
kites.
Among those described at the museum
are human figures of all sorts, as we'll
as many queer animals of paper and
sticks, besides the ones already men
toned; but by far the most eXtraor-
binary of all is a kite thirty feet or more
long, in the shape of snalle-like dragon.
% l,,,t
would suppose that such thing could
be flown, and yet it is known that they
float them with astonishing effective
ness.
Such kite does not in the least re-
semble any plaything of the sort known
in this part OF the world. 1t is com
posed of a number of pasteboard disks,
each foot in diameter, fastened to-
gether with spaces between by cord
running the length of the dragon, with
Notwithstanding head.
The string held by the manipulation of
this extraordinary toy is attached at
three or more points in it's length, so
that it may be controlled in the air.
While afoat the long tail has an I'M
dulating and serpentine motion, thus
producing very realistic effect.
Kite flying has been reduced to a
science in China, where many thousands
of people will gather upon hill on a
holiday for the purpose of enjoying the
sport. Many of the kites are cut loose
and let go, because it is imagined that
they float away with misfortunes that
are threatening.
The Japanese are not less superior to
Europeans in the art of top spinning
than in that of flying kites. Their skill
in this latter sport is at once the envy
and despair of civilized western youth.
Washington Star.