The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-12

fuli Of curiosity a. to American methods
enu were constantly asking Us questions
e1oui railroads and other Industrial enter
80 Many Of them expressed them
ssives as being convinced that China mus
90 something in this line But even .
oSep-se1ted and widespread conviction q
LIS kind VIII be long bearing fruit in
SninA- But an these gentlemen were most
coruiad "a their treatment OF US. and the
resuF was that we went through our
whole journey a. securely and as comfort
sniy - travellers In China well could
travel
Everything hut whecIbarrow.
what methods OF travel did we user
Well, absolutely every method known In
China. with the solitary exception Of the
Wheelba-row. As have said, our main
reliance was tho sedan chair. We also
kept our ponies with us, but they were of
little use except to afford u acme relief
now and tsen for an hour or two each day.
From Cnungking 10 IchsEg we took a long
boat called cuadza- II was abou, sixty
or seventy feet long and contained uouse
OF four rooms In fronf OF this house was
the crew. rowing the boat Back OF IL was
the heimsman. On this strange craft. Just
above Ichang. We encountered the most
periloiss part Of our whole trip We there
descended the whirIing Shintan rapids.
where at one point our boa; had to make
sheer drop OF three feet over a fall. A
special plot hac 10 be taken on We were
warned Of The danger, and the Chinese
government had kindly provided US with
special chairs by which to make a deeour
OF the rapids. But other members of me
party wanted a spice OF adventure. and I
wished TO make some notes, as expec, to
write something On the navigation Of the
upper fangtze. and so xe all stuck 20 the
boat and went over the fail. Our average
rate OK travel on land was twenty-three
miles day. You can scarcely conceive
the amount OF work required to cover thar
distance Every morning We had to be up
two hours before daylight. and we had to
keep pesging away ali day long,
can you tell tho public anything a. to
the result OF your inyestlSationg"
IAN. now you are irespassing on stata
secrets. Our report was made up nj
Shanghai. and left there By the last mail.
As TO the nature OF Its contents. OF course
! can not with proprssty give you even .
hint.
II may tell you. however. what I think
the public would be glad to know, viz. !:
That In no single instance did we find that
any OF the outrages had been caused by
any rashness or imprudence on the part
OF the missionaries. In general they seem
TO have arisen from the absolutely unset
tied condition OF China. due to the war
with Japan
Tho Missionaries.
THE missionaries have threaded their
way everywhere throughout the interior.
Their work Is wonderful They preoede
trade. and are the pioneers of civilization
We saw no other foreigners save at Chung
King. where We met Mr.. Woodruff of Nor
- Ass NJ T.
er IN the imperial maritime service. the
service organized by Sir Robert Hare to
collect duties due England from China On
account CT Its excellent work the system
has been continued and Is now information
al in its personnel. Sir Robert having
planned that each nation should be repre-
scented In proportion to its amount Of trade
with China. At Chung King we met also
Mr.. and Mrs. Little. Mr.. Little is an
English merchant and the author OF book
on the Yangtzs gorges. German mer-
chant II the same city completed the list
OF foreigners We encountered. other than
the missionaries"
After reaching Shanghai, February !,
tho commission. as already stated, made
up Its report, which has jus; been for
warded. Lieut.. Commander Merrill was
thrown closely, during his sojourn in
Shanghai. with l.. s. ]. Hunt, from whom
he brought letters OF introduction to this
city. He reports that early In February
Mr.. Hunt was suffering severely from the
effects OF vaccination, but had recovered
entirely. and was In better health than
usual when he left him.
Leaving Shanghai March e by the En-
press OF Japan, Lieut.. Commander Merrill
arrived at Vancouver April 5. and came on
10 Seattle. reaching here Thursday even
ing. He has spent part OF his time out at
Yarrow. where Mrs. Hunt. OF course. ex-
tended him a cordial welcome. Yesterday
he was at luncheon on board the Monterey,
where he met a number OF his former ship
mates. He leaves this morning at $50
O'Clock by the fret Northern Pacific train
on the new schedule. for his home In Mar
shall. Mich.
II should like very much 10 stay over
and witness the docking of the Monterey"
he said. last night. "but haven't seen my
wife for nearly three years, and am ma
turally anxious TO push on TO Marshall
where certain bright eyes and expectant
faces are waiting for me.
Met Old Acquaintance.
by the way" he continued. ct notice a
number OF my old Marshall acquaiatan-es
are In Seattle. among them Judge Burke,
Mr.. Bagley and Mr.. Beach. I learned his
evening that one OF my old Annapolis
friends is also here today, Lieut.. Wyckofr
We were In the naval academy together
Tor three years, ana i nave not seen him
since
Lieut.. Mcrriil's Career.
Lieut.. Commander Merrill Is a charming
conyersstionalist. He IL a man OF COM
manding stature and OF fine personal ap-
peararce. His bronxed face shows the
traces OF outdoor life and the tonic Of sea
breezes. and his hazel eyes are clear with
tho Hight OF health and intellect. while his
dark hair and black. dropping mustache
have not a gray lire TO tell tina; he is ap-
preaching his 10Th year. Yes. hts Goth. for
he was born In lSI7. at Auburn, N Y.
But he is really Michigander. for his
parents removed TO Marshall when he WAS
but years old. At is' he entered the
United States naval academy at Annapo-
lis. from which Re graduated four years
later. In 1861. He was at once assigned 10
the Mediterranean squadron. where Ad-
nlirai Farragut was then making his cruise
Returning he spent eight months at the
Darien canal. after which he was assigned
to duty as tn instructor nj the Newport
torpedo station. Then he went TO sea
again for awhile. but was soon recalled. TO
he put in charge % the naval experimental
battery at Annapolis. where all the guns
ana powder for the navy are tested, There
he remained for two years. After an
other breathing space al sea. he spent
FIVE years a; Annapolis as instructor In
mathematics. physics and chemistry. Then
he was placed on the STAFF Of
Admiral Greer. At that time IN command OF
the European station. when he returned
10 America Il was 70 md that his work
at Newport and al Annapolis had been so
highly approved tina. he was 10 be made
head Of the department OF mechanics and
apnlIei mathematics IN the naval academy.