The Republican journal., 1896-09-10
A Yankee Chinese Skipper.
Maine Boy Who Is Now the Trusted Servant of an
Emperor.

Maine Boy Who is Now the Trusted Servant of an
Emperor.
Twenty nine years ago NJ. Y. Lancas-
ter, Yankee youth of y years, sailed
from Belfast Me-, in a side wheel steam
er bound for China. He liked the Celes-
tias and the country so well that he set
tied among them, making Shanghai his
home, and he is just now on his first visit
to the United States since the close of his
trip on the slde-wheeler.
1t is as Capt NJ. r. Lancaster of the
China Merchants Steam Navigation Com
pany he registered at the Brown Palace
hotel last Monday evening. His present
mission out of China has been undertaken
under orders from the Chinese govern
ment. The China Merchants Steam
Navigation Company's forty steamers are
subsidized by the emperor of the Celes-
tlal kingdom. Capt. Lancaster has for
over nineteen years had charge of these
craft and consequently is directly in the
government employ Recently Emperor
kwang Sii ordered Cornell & Co., ship
builders of Glasgow, Scotland, to build
for his subsidized line two steamers of
more modern model than the others.
Capt. Lancaster viii be skipper of one of
them, and is now ell route to Glasgow
from where he will navigate his brand
new ship TO the port Of Shanghai, via the
Suez canal and the Indian ocean. A crew
of native Chinese sailors are going to
Glasgow by the direct route, and they
will man Capt. Lancaster vessel on it's
homeward voyage.
WILL MEET THE VICEROY.
In New. York city Capt Lancaster ex-
poets to meet Ii Hung Chang, viceroy of
China, tutor to the heir apparent to the
throne Of China, etc, etc. He is fami-
iarly acquainted with the mighty Celestial
potentate, as well as his son, who accom-
panies the aged statesman on his trip
through the civilized nations OF the West.
''Li Hung Chang is just as fine an Old
man is you would want to meet said
Capt Lancaster last cvering. ''He has
always been square in his dealings with
me, and treats all foreigners kindly. He
does not speak English, but his son, who
is about 35 years old, spe ks, reads and
writes English we'll. When the son was
on his way to join Ii Hung Chang on this
trip he sailed on my steamer down the
Yang tse- kiang river from Wuhu to
Shanghai. He is a rather p easant young
fellow. No matter what is said of the
Chinese and their dislike fol foreigners |
must say that | don't want better employ
erS than they have been to me during the
% years have run on the Chinese coast
ing steamers. The middle class behave
all right toward foreigners, but it is
good scheme to always keep your temper
among them; for unpleasant little things
will turn up once in awhile
'tOur line was subsidized by the gov
eminent about y years ago. The steam
ers are all engaged in the coasting trade
| run up the Yang tse- Kiang river to Han
kow 800 or 600 miles from the coast, and
bring down tallow, rice, vegetables, tea
and other commodities for shipment to
the ports along the coast. You know the
Chinese pay their taxes mostly in rice
and this rice can be handled only by the
vessels of the China Merchants Steam
Navigation Company. The tallow we
handle is vegetable compound and comes
from the province of Zechuen
ACTIVITY IN THE TRADE.
Grade has taken on a great activity
since the war with Japan came to an end,
and China's commercial outlook is now
excellent. There is at present only 1877
miles Of railroad in operation in the entire
country, but we are improving in this di-
rection also. Inside of two weeks a new
railroad of which the outside world has
heard but little, will be ready for the run
ming of trains between Picking and Tient-
sen, distance of so miles. 1t will open
up trade wonderfully in that section.
! Another road from Hankow to Hong
Kong, about 800 miles, is in contempla-
ton. They will both be controlled by
the Chinese emperor
In answer to a question, Capt. Lancas-
ter said: ''In my opinion China is not
good place for Americans to go to just
now, unless they have been engaged to
take some paying position. The con
dtions there are rather unsettled and, of
course, foreigners are not popular to any
great degree"
The Yankee Chinese naval officer has
with him silver medal of which he is
very proud. 1t is the decoration of the
order of the Double Dragon, and was CON
ferred upon him by the Chinese emperor
after Ii Hung Chang and a party of Chi
nese nobility had made an official trip
along the Chinese sea coast on his steam
er. The visitor from China left for New
York at 10 q clock last night. He came
here via San Francisco. Denver, Colo,
Republican.
Capt Lancaster was in New Y ork when
the Viceroy arrived and is daily expected
east to visit his old friends before pro-
ceeding to Glasgow.