The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-13
WEDA CHINESE PRINCESS
COMMANDER WHITING OF TIE
NAVY Has A PRECEDENT.

Chinese Emperor5 Army and 1Gr-
ried the Belle OF the Imperial House.
hold.
From the San Francisco Examiner.
Frederick Weird, the first American to
have conferred upon him the title of man
DARN, and the only foreigner who ever
married into the royal Chinese family, was
born in Salem, Mass, in 1928 His father
was shipmaster and a merchant. Young
Ward went through tho common schools
and then tried to get an appointment to
West Point, but failed; so be went to sea
and soon became mate OF q flrst-class clip
per. He was a strict disciplinarian and
was once thrown overheard Off Cape Horn
by his crew. but he managed to grasp a
blight of the main sheet which was hanging
over the side, and 50 regained the
deck. During the remainder of the
voyage there existed some cooluess between
the quarter deck and the forecastle, but
the experiences made Wards mode Of per-
suaston less demonstrative.
his next voyage was In the ship Kate
Hastings, bound from Boston for Calcutta
There were three voyages in succession to
India, but the life of mariner was too
tame to suit the man who wanted TO be a
soldier.
AS a consequence Ward vent to the Cri-
mea, where adventure was plentiful, aud
entered the French service, becoming in
time lieutenant. After the close of the
war In the Crimea he went to Southern
Mexico for the purpose of securing large
amount of old iron caunonS, but the scheme
failed and he crossed the country alone, on
horseback, to California Here he en-
barked on a vessel for China. He regained
has old position as drsp mate and had many
adventures on the coast OF China. He ar
rived in Shanghai in 1850.
Ward was "a soldier Of fortune, and he
took in the situation at a glance. The i'm
perlal authorities were com batting the Taip-
ing or iong-haired rebels, aud Ward saw the
advantage Of organizing q corps of natives
for instruction In military drill and tactics.
lie succeeded III impressing his views on the
government. and his experience was Of
benefit TO the emperor.
The Chinese emperor was. in a bad way.
The TAPPING rebels were in possession OF the
great cities OF Marking, Hanghow aud Soo-
chow, ami the emperor was also at war
with the French and English,
who held shanghai The harbor at Shang-
hal was crowded with 300 foreign vessels
which furnished large numbers Of desert
ers and discharged men and officers who
were eager for employment on any side
Ward became mate on one Of the native
gunboats and soon won areputation for
intre9idtty. He made q contract with "a
wealthy Chinese merchant to attack the
rebels. he enlisted 100 men, chiefly
deserters, and assaulted the walled
city containing many thousands of inhabit-
ants. They were driven back with con-
siderable loss. Ward had as his lieutenant
IN this expedition an American named
Burgevine from North Carolina. who was
the son Of a French officer who served
under Napoleon. Burgevine had been n
pRge in the House of Representation, had
had adventures in California, Australia
the Sandwich islands aud London. He had
been postohice clerk, newspaper editor
and the mate Of ship trading on the China
coast
Ward continued to fight against the
rebels, sometimes with deserters aud soma
times with Manila men for his force. In
these enterprises be was backed by wealthy
Chinese merchants who were anxious to
have the rebellion put dowB, but his enter
prises we're only indifferently successful on
account of tho poor material he commanded.
The wealthy Chinese gave up in disgust
and Ward fell into disfavor with Sir James
Hope, the British admiral, who was at
tempting TO maintain neutrality aud whose
crews were taking every opportunity TO
join the adventurer.
Ward now abandoned the plan OF employ
ing foreigners. and with Burgevine pro-
posed to discipline native troops. The men
whom he attempted to drill we're faithful,
but were pre-eminent among the Chinese
for their non-martial qualities. They were
called the gentle people of the plaln.n The
Chinese authorities gave every aid possible
to Wards scheme. but 1t was kept q secret
from Admiral Hope, as deserters from the
British army were employed as drill mas
ters. When the admiral did hear of it he
went in person to put a stop to il. Ward
heard of his approach and ordered his
officers TO hide while he arranged
TO give the admiral betting military re-
ception with his drilled men, who were at
tired in foreign uniform. Sir James was
surprised and pleased and Ward ordered
all his officers and men on parade. From
this time Ward had the support OF the En-
glishmau. His plans were now legalizsd
and in January, 1862, he had 5000 drilled
Chinese commanded by ten European otll-
cers. From this time all was success, and
Ward became general. although he con-
tinued to lead his men in person. BY an i'm
perial decree his force was designated The
Ever Conquering Legion"
Ward actively served his employers in
other ways. He dispatched his brother to
New York TO negotiate for three gunboats.
These were built and were on the point OF
leaving for Shanghai when the news of
Gen. Wards death was received. The
boats were then sold to the United States
government and were used during the civil
war. Capt. Pittman, who now resides In
Berkeley, was to command one OF these
RunboaGs, and was on board ready to start
for Shanghai when the news was received.
The peuchant for strict discipline which
distinguished Ward as seaman was his
characteristic quality as soldier. In one
OF the earliest Bkirmishes which he had
with the eusmv he showed his men what
was meant by discipline. A rebel fotilla
latsn with plumber found itself ice~bound.
w ard surprised IL and ordered all the boats
and their contents burned. Among
Wards force were many villagers
armed with knife.pointed bamboo poles
and accompanied by the chief person-
age in each village. One Of these village
chiefs was a mandarin OF the blue button,
lie rushed into boat to piilsRe and re-
fused to quit A soldier was ordered to
shoot him, but the order was regarded with
dismay partly because the blue button wss
only doing what each soldier desired TO do,
but chiefly because shooting "a officer was
considered almost 10 patricide. An officer
then shot the offender, and the effect was
very salutgry. Ward brought his men to
refrain from plundering the people they
were paid TO protect.
For another year Word met with moth
log but success. He had been made O
mandarin, and then high mandarin Of
tue empire as partial reward for his
services. His pecunierY reward amounted
to about $3,0O0,0J0 and he was 70 receive