The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-08

a long Chinese pipe was brought to him.
For fully five minutes he did net say
one word, smoking and looking at me.
At last he opened his mouth, took away
| his pipe and said abruptly:
All, a! how UId?"
| | thought would be just as Chinese
| as he was, SO took my time, smoked
one or two puffs from my cigar. and an
swered quietly: Quite young in years,
your Excellency, but pretty old in expe-
| rience, as you will see."
"Ah, all" said the Viceroy in great
| surprise Then it struck him as being
funny, and he Notwithstanding and
looking me straight in the eyes. "This
is not an answer" he said at last. "When
were you born?n
Awfully sorry, your Excellency but
1t seems SO very long ago that cannot
possibl remember ="
"Ah ah ah!" said the Viceroy very
surprised at not being able to get a
straight answer. sand how old is your
wife?n
Il cannot possibly know your Excel
ency for the good reason that | have no
wife,"
mot married. You are notl How
can young man like you not be mar
ried? had two children at your age,
oil, oil SURE lOI y Ou dI0-HOW Olu!
Your Excellency is always right,
therefore I must be just as old as you
were when you had two children. I
would not dare to contradict you.
"Ah. ali! why are you not married, sir?
Why, why?n
"Well, your Excellency, because it
takes two to make a bargain in our
country"
| All, ali, ahll" said the viceroy, laugh
InO. Wand could nnt tfaf fhn nth IN
one, eh?"
But he was not pleased, and addressing
the Secretary of the Navy, who was also
there he said in Chinese 81 cannot
get straight answer out of that man:
we had better get down to business.
Well, sir, I am glad to see you in this
country, and TO welcome you to my
house-my son wrote about you. What
can | do for you, and what do you want
from China"?N
explained to him in very few words,
and said it would be an exceedingly good
thing for China to exhibit.
You mean good thing for tue Expo
sition should China exhi bit?" he inter
rupted.
mot at all, your Excellency. OF
course we would all be glad to see a
Chinese exhibit, but there will be so
many exhibits from every part of the
world that really, one more or less
but you see do not come here as a COM
missioner of the Exposition, not even as
an American, but as a..friend of your son,
and as if | were myself a good and true
Chinese"
"Ah, ah! explain yourself, sir, for you
surprise me. A good Chinese all, ahl"
Yes, your Excellency, ] mean that it
is OF vital interest to the trade, com
merce and industries OF China to be we'll
represented at the Worlds Fair, which
will be the greatest thing of the kind
ever witnessed. China has at the pres
ent an immense trade in silk, EN- broider-
les, tea, porcelain, ivory, bronze, etc,
with America and Europe. But there
are other countries which would supply
the same things-as for instance Japan,
India. Ceylon; these countries will have
magnificent eXhib is at the Falr-ex-
hibits which will be for them an adver-
tisement the world over. And the ma
tions not seeing China there will believe
that you are no more in it, that you
can compete no more, and all their flu
ture orders and commissions Will go to
your well advertised and we'll known
neighbors. Ask your Canton merchants
and they will tell you what l will
assure you that their business since has
increased in most wonderful proportions
Well, your Excellency, our exposit ton
will be three times larger than that of
.,
being represented there China will lose
millions and millions of dollars. Can
you well afford it,"
WOULD SEND A FLEET TO AMERI-
CA.
"Ah, ali! you are-to send an exhibit.
sir! 1 tellFyou what am going to send.
am going to send over there fleet to
teach the American people how to re-
spect China. This was altogether un-
expected; SO much so that could not
help smiling. Your Excellency must
have lots of men-of-war to spare"
What do you mean, sir?"
"That we are in America the most
polite people in the world, and that we
will give that feet the very best recep
ton we can. In fact I do not think it
will ever get over it," you do not, ehS
Well, send around here your old wooden
vessels, and you will soon see thev
amount to nothing" We'll, your Ex.
cellency, | am very surprised indeed T
l am not the Secretary of the Navy.
come here to speak with you Of the most
peaceful thing of the world, of the great
exhibition, and here you are TALKING
men-of-war, guns, battles and fights:
but may l ask your Excellency which
nations of the world you consider As
having the best navy?" China and
England, sir" well, your ExcelIency
each time England had to do with the
United States she was badly whipned
We have now some of the finest yesseis
afioat, and millions of dollars to build
more In fact we are the only nation
that can we'll afford to have a large nav
Then the United States can pride then.
selves on soldiers and sailors who nave
never been conquered, who have navsr
lost war-a thing of which no nther
nation can boast-not even England not
even China No'
You are very good speaker, sir. ve,r
good" said the viceroy. SIN LING kin tI,S
"Now. must cell your ExelIencvp thsst
I have been surprised at SEEING hsro an az
many beautiful men-of-war. American ~