Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-04-30
THE FosslrIzEp EMPIRE.
CHINA. plAo. in Ancient u,.-


Although China has Of late been hum
bled by it's once despised adversary, Ja-
pan, the Flowery Land has wonderful
history, and long before civilization
dawned on these shores the Mongolians
were making practical use of arts and
sciences. Recently at the Victoria in
stitute-Prof. Hull, +. r. S., in the
chair-Surgeon-G c. A. Gordon,
M. D., C. b., described how the record
Ing of the history of China commenced
26 centuries B. c. by order of Hwauti.
From that date to the present, he said.
the current of history in relation to
the Chinese people could be accepted
for the most part as correct and con-
tinuous. Hwauti was an extraordinary
emperor, possessed of "all the talents"
Having vanquished his enemies he set
about improving things in general. He
established the cycle of 60 years in ac-
cordance with which Chinese chronol-
ogy has ever since continued to be
reckoned. He introduced the decimal
system of notation, encouraged the
study of astronomy and meteorology-.
being able, "by means of making ex
periments, to foretell the changes of
the weather and air" He established
methods of measurement by length and
by weight, and made stringent laws
that both should be just; the art OF
cooking in furnaces prepared for the
purpose; the erection of houses in
stead of bowers formed by branches
of trees. He caused roads, chiefly for
military purposes, to be made, and
bridges erected throughout his domin
ions. One instrument which he in
vented is identified with the compass.
To him also is assigned the introduction
of written characters, his idea in that
respect having been derived from oh
serving the markings on the shells Of
tortoises. The systematic rearing and
management of silk worms and the
manufacture of the fiber produced from
them into robes of different shapes and
colors were also among the numerous
advances connected with his reign. In
further pursuance of this policy he APP
pointed professor of music, whose
duty it was to explain the order and
arrangement of the different tones,
He taught the way of making flutes,
flies and organs, trumpets that imitat.
ed the voice of the dragon, and drums
that made the noise of thunder. He
divided his country into principalities.
in each of which he caused cities to be
erected. He introduced the use of
wheeled carriages, and the training of
horses to draw them. Lastly, he Or
dered that collins should be made in
which the dead were to be inferred
After him came several emperors of ex
traordinary genius and merit, and such
varied subjects as scientific agriculture
and the composing of national songs
received equal attention. In those far
off days Chinese patriots had their own
equivalents for 'Rule Britannia" "Thc
British Grenadiers," Scots wha haze"
"Mourir pour la Patrie," etc. Other
nations, now BUNDLED in the dust, were
rising, and it was during the dynasty
of Hea that, in consequence of a famine
in Canaan, Abraham proceeded tn
Egypt to buy corn, the latter country
being then known as "a land of plenty"
The shepherd kings are considered tc
have invaded Lower Egypt about b. C.
2214-1S00, and the duration of their rule
to have continued 26o years. During
the same period the birth took place
of Isaac (B. C. 1866; of Esau and Jacob
'(B. c. 1866; Joseph was sold by his
brethren into Egypt; his family, then
nomadic tribe, settled in the Land of
Goshen, he himself became minister to
Amosis or Thotmosis, the then reign
ing Pharaoh, and by his foresight pre-
served the country from famine during
the seven years of sterility. Egyptian
colonies under Cecrops proceeded to
Greece, where they reclaimed the I'M
civilized races Of Attica. So, while the
great Chinese empire, which now pre-
sents to the world curious specimen
of fossiliZed civilization, was develop
ing, Persia, Phoenicia, India, Greece
and Rome grew and gradually spread
their influence over the great world OF
1.-THE outer barbarians." oil .H H.gHl
The lecture was listened to with great
attention by a, large audience.-Leeds
Mercury. ... .,.... ...