The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-01

West Point, n. Y, August 31.-Li
Hung Chang arrived here this afternoon
on the dispatch boat Dolphin to inspect
the military academy, but owing to n
heavy rain he did not land and the in
spectiOn was abandoned.
During the trip up the river Col. Fred.
d. Grant pointed out many places of in
, terest to the ambassador, who asked many
| questions Nearby were NicePresdeat
Thompson, Col. McCook, Mr.. Seward,
Mr.. Webb, and nearly all the other
prominent visitors. Ii Hung Chang be-
gan to speak through the interpreter of
railroads and their paying five per cent
| The Dolphin was then passing the Will
liamsburg sugar reiincries and Col. Grant
Saids
"Therc is place which pays twelve per
cent. on IN invested capital of $31, 000-
GOO -
! The ambassador became interested and
asked very infinitely what process the
sugar went through there, and he seemed
satisfied with the answers which were
given to his every question. When the
vessel was abreast of the navy yard the
| Chinese flag was run up on the main
mast of the old wooden ship Vermont.
simultaneously the saluting battery on
the Cob dock fired Il salute of nineteen
guns. AS the boat neared the Brooklyn
bridge all the Chinese became very much
! Interested well as Ii Hung Chang.
Col Grant explained in detail the work
ing OF the big structure, how long it took
to build, cost, source of revenue being
owned by the two cities, height and
length, as we'll as the cable system for
the cars and the free promenade for
pedestrians. The ambassador asked if
the bridge was built by n company AS
to the cost, S25, 900, 000 he wanted to
hnd for. IN he l.;
teen years which have elapsed since its
completion. He said it was n wonderful
structure and it showed very plainly how
far advanced the American engineers
were and that their ingenuity was seem
ingly inAXhaustible
BY 8 o'clock the Dolphin lad passed
the battery and as she rounded it and
turned up the North River, the steam
, crafts of all kinds saluted with shrill
whistles. Ii Hung did not seem to hear
these salutes and kept right on talking
with those next to him. After General
Kruger had shown the viceroy his place on
Governors Island, Gen. Porter and Col
! Grant directed the ambassadors atten-
ton to the tall buildings, or ''sky. scra-
pcrs,n as they call them. in the lower
part of the city. Ii Hung Chang asked
the cost of them, by whom they were oc-
cupied, how much income tEey produced
and if they paid we'll In reply to ques-
ton rs to what he thought of them, he
replied: "They are, indeed, wonderful;
so many of them and so high. | am not
surprised at that height for have heard
of them in my own country
Vice President Thompson, of the Penn
! sylvania road then pointed out the com
pany's depot on the Jersey shore, and cN-
planned how the passengers and freig
were transferred from New York and
brooklyn by ferry boats. The ambassa-
dor seemed to be particularly interested
in railroads and entered into talk with
Mr.. Thompson, asking him his age, how
he became vice president of the company,
and asking as to accidents, etc. on the
Pennsylvania road
Mr.. Thompson turned aside question
rs to the amount of his salary, where
upon the ambassador said: The -presi-
dents and vice presidents of the European
roads had no hesitation in telling me the
salaries which they were paid, but they
also said that they never had any acct
dentn, as all the accidents occurred in
America
Passing Grants tomb the ensign was
dipped and all on board stood bareheaded
until the flag was raised again. Ii Hung
Chang, with his attendants, also stood
up, but they did not uncover. After this
ceremony the ambassador turned to Col.
Grant, who was still by his side, and
said: II have seen the tombs of Peter
the Great William the First and Napo-
leon, but have seen nothing so grand as
this grand reminder of so great n gen
eral. 1t eclipses anything that | have
ever yet seem
Capt Glover, of the Dolphin, was then
introduced to the viceroy, and in turn he
introduced his officers. Ii Hung Chang
asked him if the boat was Il gunboat and
then inquired about her batteries, and in
specte3 the shells and cartridges which
were brought to him. He handled these
very carefully, but before doing so had
one of his attendants take away his pipe
and tapers. The weather up TO this time
was cloudy and threatening, and rain be
gan to fall as the vessel passed Spuyten
Duyvil The rain did not bother the
viceroy, as he was protected by the avn
ing, and he continued to ask Commander
Clover numerous questions about the
American navy and the extent of it.
When the creek was reached Col Grant
explained that it was the little bit of
water which made New York an island.
Iii Hung nodded his head as if he under
stood perfectly well. General Porter and
Colonel McCOok then took the viceroy in
hand and explained the exports of pig
iron TO England. Ii Hung Chang lis
tened attentively and said to Colonel Me
Cook; "Oh, you are Il lawyer and can
make everything appear all right
continued on fourth pageO