The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-26
CHINESE MAIL CARRIERS.
A Clumsy Arrangement In Which Extreme
Fidelity Is Sometimes Shown.

The Government Of the Celestial empire sends
Its official dispatches by special couriers but
M
ern China a tolera bly, efficient substitute for
our postal system has. however. been organ
lied by private corporations that might be de-
| scribedas local and general express compa-
mics. Nearly every city has mail contractor,
packages within the municipal limits Of his
burg and of the neighboring villages. The
larger cities occasionally interchange q mail
directory Of firms Of the maritime provinces.
The general express companies do much
bal messages. letters. bags Of specie and
small consignments OF merchandise ut any ac
sesshle point Of the empre and have their
principal landings OF the great inter provin-
cial waterways;
in the ardor Of competition the two rival or
gan1izstions resort to al kinds Of strange ex-
charGesl at their headQuarter offices. they
send Sc COLLECTORS from nous. 10 house and keep
street corners and make a rush for every GUS
tomerliftng his hand or his eyelids;;
snd his v o tSa
erals has got ahead OF him he will at once try
to bride ths domestics and thus recover the
vate errand boy leave house with letter or
q package a runner will promptly attempt to
his connivance with an offer Of sweetments.
The collectors Of both companies are gen
sS Spf b in
tho window Of ground floor pari ioo 'At0uSn
h drsws out the possible SSH customer
yet Can you wait. or call again in an houriY"
wF of the Ter wiz Gsx the
the trouble Of blacking his fingers. No extra
charge. sir: is a pastime. but those G. fell
customer. Let me- come in. SIR" &C.. till he
gets the lob and Il few extra coppers for tea
money" in spite of his protest.
But the q. man is apt to get even II a letter
liveTable. That shows what they Know about
Nankinga month ago and lives in II house
t three doors GeloT the White street corner Of
and iii get you a an answer In 'N Week. ea' T fe
T. fellows don't know anything outside Of
Their own hash-mill routes. No prepayment
the letter has been delivered"
Long-trip messengers Of tho general express
travel pairwiao and are miraculous adopts in
the art OF rcconciing minimum OF expense
with MAXIMUM OF speed. They will take
hand IN tho navigation OF river boats. load
tho most unreasonable overweight: they will
volunteer t" eliyer messages or execute com
besides the honest good viii Of the waysido
population: tney will entertain n company OF
trgveIle rs with songs and anecdotes. retail the
gossip ol their Headquarters city, and get n
welcome rom every village hoy who can repay
their tIdbits with Typographical information
hign. In! tho carriers can DO relied unon to
earn their wages. They will make their way
a aStoS an al int f2t 81 military fock
he unable to write his name they will Eet some
responsible official of the ishborhood to
As a rule The i ni,aG iity Of highway sids
towns deem 1t matter OF honor to aid u mail
carrier carrier in possible emergencies. ferry him
hcross swollen rivers or, in case Of sickness
ahead. and tile No,Tl Dina Hraa pHbli s%d
lar western province OF luman. wher. the
fmesscnGcr died in consequence OF extreme
lands. He hat contrlved to find the adj Jresssre
but found himself Obliged to intrust n travel.
Ing III, peldler with tho receipt. that was for
destination in far-oY IiAn Sing ton the Bay Of
Pechili' after the lapse OF seven months. "a
When sir Hudson Lowe refused the ex-Em-
tcrs to Europe the Count do Las Cas;ls under
TOOK TO circumvent the obnoxious regulation |
by writing message on piece Of note paper
p satche belonging to a boy who was going
to tie sent back to England but the ynX:eyed
yenEc in n code Of still more stringent by.jaws.
Chinese mail.arrer could have given the |
n p9ns on the art Of hd
war thousands OF mailbags are SNUG.
i lie double heo Ws Of th river f bSs
special importance are sent with more extra.
ordinary precautions. Instead of being writ
len n on paper Sapt to betray itself by rlstlinG
a nc tra tn9 myers OF searching hand) they
rnb9ed over with paste, that can be washed
cut In warm water, and then sewed into the
inner folds of an, old blouse-a boat mans
3iouSe II possible, for the me. senGer travels in
disguise, and takes caro- to dirty his gnrments
'nrough to modify tho cupidity Of u robber.
70 some parts Of the vast empire lettors are
2rwarded only at the risk OF tho sender. On On
~ ne e., 9iorner OF Ihibet the highlands become
5n nc there Is an snclave. or State in the
ieGels Of Song Miowl who for centuries have
,Md o. ,if Tax Collectors Of tho Government.
oGrde tor alive But still more impractical
frontier, whore the rainy season P'D turns
, i've N T niG9"n into LAKE, and feyers are
p tTiGitnluin. includes valleys Of exuberant
erillity' put trayeilers must tako what iucE
here Is and in the iung!"s OF the SOM. Kni
lIia u french exploring expedition a few
,arrier who seemed to have fallen a victim To-
VIA beasts or the Jungle fever. but who hpforo
lyinG ha'' taken til" irecaution to hang his