Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-16

Whether 1t be IN one Of the smaller
treaty ports % China. or at Shm ghoi, or
Hong Kong foreign life Is idcufn7U ui
rs main characteristics.
In going to China. one should be pre-
pared 70 meet IN almost entirely new
civilization II is q civilization Csnch ~
we Westerners know iN which has moNi.
fed itself and adapted ITSELF 90 The pecu-
hnrities of Chinese surroundings phys-
raj. social and ethical The Cmnc.e are
: large nud important factor in Our lives.
One cann0t be without their service.
Again lite 10 Chino is per se cosmo-
politan. The large hdsluess houses or
"Hones" are English. German and
French IN Canton, where there exists
D typical foreign colony me last Ameri-
can house disappeared with Mcssrs Rus
sell q Co. who ceased TO exist year
agQ.
The English. Frehch German, Portu-
guese and United States governments are
represented by cOnsulates of the iirst
order. Other governments. such as Hol-
land, Denmark. Norway and Sweden are
represented by vice cOnsuls The vice
consulntes Of these less important nations
generally appcriain To business "Iiongs'
Such yicecunsulates are entirely of an
honorary nature. but by no means unim-
p0rtant
Canton being port where disturbances
nro likely 20 occur az nny time lowing
particularly 90 the many mis donary or
CARNATIONS with headquarters no Can
toni there Is invariably one gnbo0t. at
least. stationed there. The English.
American. French and German nations
take turns as far a spOssIble in keeping
a gunboat iu Canton waters. Sometimes
nll these nations are represented at once.
As the Chinese foreign custom service
Is under the management Of foreigners.
with Sir Robert Hart Of Peldn nc lis
head, there Is this additional official ele-
mont entering into ones life. The Com
missioner Of Customs when ] left Can
ton. Francis Il. Woodruff. an eminent
aud high minded American. held this posi-
TOMS parsonage Of considerable
magnitude. Beside fulfilling all the
functions Of % collector al the port he has
additional dignity rs being a quasi-Chi-
nose official. with red tape enough 40 his
command tO more tlmu satisfy the most
rxicting Of mortals lie Is entitled To
the privileges OF mandarin In the
opinion " many the Commissioner of
Customs ranks third iu Importance in
canton, first coming the vicerOy and
military general.
Ones social intercourse. therefore. 81 Ia
constant touch with Englishmcn. French
men, Americans, Germans, et AL who
have mot together upon common ground
ns merchants, cuusuls, customs officials,
naval officers etc
In speaking of meeting upon common
ground, the phrase. though hgurativoly
tire, Us not strictly accurate iu reality.
The little island OF Shamccu, where for.
ciucrs reside, is "a concession by the
thinese government no the British and
French governments only Great Britain
possessing four-hiths and France the
other iiftl
Shamceu was coded 90 England and
France in 1850. 10 WIS then but o. sand
fat iu the river ns its name in Chinese
imples. around which solid granite
about half % mile long mud q quarter Of
q milo wide With Canton 10 b. connect
ed boy q bridge 40 the east end and by
another ut tho north side. The accom-.
pluving diagram win give some idea of
the position OF Shameen: