Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-02-03

i
ne VII have to deal with a situation
mu b more serious than any that can
Do created by mere sporadic rIoting
1t Is hard to get at the truth about the
recent outbreaks of lawlessness in
china, and to decide how far they are
fanatical or revolutionary. There is.
however, no doubt that the long
Regency of the Dowsger- Empresses
diminished the personal prestige of the
child Emperor now seated on the
throne. The Manchu dynasty, more
over, still represents conquest to the
Chinese of the central provinces, not
merely by its insistence on Pekin
instead of Nankin being made the
capital, but by the use of the Manchu
language in official reports submitted
to the Emperor, and by the firm hand
it keeps on the nucleus of the army
at Pekin. But though Prince Kung
organized the Pekin Field Force, the
still stronger Chinese force of "Black
Flags" has been organized by Ii Hung
Chang-himself a chinaman-at lien
tsin, and In the great rebellion of the
past it has been to the Chinese of
Wall, that the Government of Pekin
have turned for their best fighting
men. The Manchu dynasty is there
fore no longer absolutely necessary to
the military rgaEization of the EN-
pire-indeed, its strength really lies in
the support of its Chinese officials,
the sagncity and moderation with
i which 1t keeps peace between jealous
provinces and acts as buffer between
natural antiDathies to foreigners and
the aggressiveness of the representa-
tives of Foreign Powers. But it is a
paternal government and is therefore
blamed for any calamity that happens.
1t Is the Government that has brought
about the floods and famines that have
recently devastated ChIna- 1t has caused
the failure of the tea gardens now
almost annihilated by Indian COMPETE
ton. 1t has also offended Human.
This province, which has carried its
head high because of the services of its
soldiers and the great talents of its
leading families, like that of the late
Marquis Tseng, which are now almost
extinct, has had recently to give place
to Anwhei-because, forsooth, Lii Hung
Chang is himself an Anwhei man. The
chiefs OF the great Kolao Secret
Society, first organized to terrorize the
officials into paying the Hunuanese
soldiers honestly and regularly, have
had to extend their operations and get
more recruits. Hence, finding gener-
al anti-foreign feeling growing up,
they have famed the flame of discon-
tent. The presence of the Christian
missionaries in China also adds to the
intestine difficulties.
Recent kilograms respecting the mas
sacres in China seem to show that the
chief atrocities have taken place about
a hundred miles westward of New
chang, the most northerly port OF
China open to foreign trade. And it
is from that district the rebels were
said to be marching in the direction OF
Pekin. In order to gain Pekin, they
would have to cross the southern divis-
ion of the Great Wall of China, at
point two or three days march from
Pekin. Our illustration is from q pho
tograph recently taken of the Great
Wall which was built by the Emperors
of the Ming Dynasty. The gate there
In shown is the nearest to Pekin, and
not very far from the Ming tombs, and
the one for which, therefore, in all
probability, the rebels would make. 1t
Is to prevent the latter from crossing
to the south side of the wall, that troops
have been sent from Tientsin. This
part of the wall was built about 500
years later than the larger and older
part, which was constructed about b.
@. 200. The Great Wall is visible gem
orally from great distance, and one
can trace it, running over the highest
hills and into the deepest valleys,
spanning rivers, being doubled in i'm
there are several high points of van
tage. Moreover, the wall is supplied
with towers, two stories high, every
hundred yards. This part of the wall
varies from 20 to 40 feet high, with
parapet little over three feet. On
top the wall is about 10 feet wide, and
about % feet at the base. The parapet
Is built of blush bricks, about Is inches
long, 8 inches wide and inches thick.
Below this the wall is built of bio eks of
stone, near = feet long and l foot wide.
Owing TO its height, therefore, it will
serve as useful barrier to impede the
rebels, when guarded by few troops.
TlentsIn, to which we have alluded, is
really the port of Pekin, from which it
is distant about eighty miles. Our il
lustration is from photograph taken
lass winter from the tower of the Town
Hall in English concession, and shows
In the distance a view of the floods that
were prevalent at that time. Nearer
the foreground the river may be seen,
and it is close to this spot the Euro
pean gunboats are anchored every
winter. At the present time there are
two gunboats, one British and the
American, stationed there. Ihe native
town, which is very dirty, is about
mile and half farther up the river
1t was here that, on the 21st of June,
1870, the UNANIMOUSLY notorious massa-
ere of the French Sisters of Charity by
a Chinese mob took place, and Iien-
tsin will always be famous as the place
where Lord Elgin's treaty known as
the 'Treaty of 1ientsin." was signed
in 1853.
About eighty miles down the river.
guarding the mouth, mud forts and
barracks are situated, and the place
known by the name of Taku is con-
nected with Tientsin by railroad, the
line referred to in recent tele9rams.