New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-26
FROM SHANGHAI TO NANKIN
THE WONDERFUL SYSTEM OF CHINA's
INLAND WATERWAYS.

RUN-rHE DEcAYED CITY OF NANKIN.
Nanidn correspondence Of The London Standard
have Just made trip OF very interesting
character from Shanghai to Nankin, along part
OF that wonderful system OF inland waterway
which plays such an important part In CHINA
economy. One OF my main objects was 10 gam
q closer knowledge Of the character OF the coun.
try through which the forthcoming railway VIII
pass: and indirectly TO see something OF rural
life in a typical part of the Middle Kingdom
Englishmen who come out 10 the East are pouho
to see Shanghai. and at that place there Is an
infnity of varied detail TO arrest and fascinate
the attention. But it cannot be too often re-
membered that Shanghai IS not China.
The great commercial metropolis OF Central
China in attraction TO Itself Western settlers,
has evolved all the amenities OF western CIVIL
cation Large palatial houses or European type
with cool and spacious verandas fringe inc
Bund and the smooth macadamized roads that
lead from the foreign settlements into the coun-
try. The streets OF Shanghai are patrolled py
an efficient police and contain stores repiete
with everything an Englshman can desire 10
make life in the East pleasant; there Is a lux
urious club n cathedral. postofices and tele-
graph stations. and at night the whole place Is
brilliant with electricity. 1t Is marvellous OBJ
ject-lesson which the West is holding forth to
the East.
But days journey into the interior will give
q rude shake to the Kaleidoscope. and land you
in that vast panorama which for thousands or
years has teemed with the same toiing and I'M
changing millions. and where the European Is
nothing but strange and solitary anachronlsm
II is an extraordinary scene. giving much food
hope and encouragement for those who are con-
WINGED as l am that the Englishman has a
future and mission in this country.
The new railway, to which have already re
ferred will connect the great cities OF Shanghai
and Nankin. running en- route through the
treaty ports Of Soochow and Chin Kiang: The
Former is toerably well known through the
siege II encountered at the hands OF General
Gordon. who captured ii from the rebels in 1864;
and although it was largely destroyed by the
Taipings il has been rebuilt sufficiently TO de-
veop brisk and lucrative trade with Shanghai
SCENES ON THE RIVER
The river. or rather creek connecting the two
odties has an extraordinary aspect toward the
Shanghai end. For over a mile IL is thronged
with river craft of every conceivable size, shape
and design. Six and seven deep they lie. cram
ming up the waterway. along which our launch
and houseboat could only thread their course
with the greatest caution The vessels which
Bring down the produce Of the interior range in
size from the ordinary sampan. or hand-pro-
PEELED boat. up TO Junks Of quite hundred tons
burden Each boat has its complement OF hu-
man life on board and the scene as you pass
enables you 10 realize the truth Of the saying
that the floating population in some parts or
China is numerous that on terra firma.
Cotton, silk timber stone. straw, shoes. bam-
boo and grain form the bulk Of the cargoes
brought down 10 Shanghai. and every now and
then you passed by steam launches with
four or five passenger boats in tow. each packed
with blue CARRIED Celestials, smoking. eating.
drinking or gazing grinning and open-eyed at
His Excellency the foreign devil"
The country through which Soochow Creek
passes is Of much the same character as that
which will be traversed by the railway. 1t is
most productive. and every yard OF ground is
cultivated The people. male and female. ashore
and afoat are necessarily at work. The China |
man is either hoeing the ground with a gigantic |
pronged fork. wedding planting reaping or irri- |
eating his fields by means Of an endless chain |
of buckets Ghese are often turned by bullocks). |
or. II he is a "wet-bob." he is Juggling at the |
broad -bladed sweep in the stern Of the boat, or
trudgirg along the tOwpath with his family and |
himself in harness they drag along the pom |
derous craft with which the rivers TEEN. Few |
things could give one a better idea Of the In |
dustry OF the dense population Of these parts |
than rapid river journey, where town and viii |
lage. field and hill. pass you In succession each |
boastiny Its own appropriate contingent Of busy
workers.
THE VENICE OF CHINA.
Soochowis the Venice Of China The netv-or
OF canals. navigable rivers and lakes which |
covers the face of the surrounding country finds |
Its counterpart in Soochow where canals largely |
play the part of streets The parallel with |
Venice IS marked. moreover. by unsavory smells |
and sights which prove what fatal facilities are
onered by city built over water to give itself
10 practices which 1t will be the despair OF a
Sanitary Board TO eradicate II one is COM
mssoned TO take the city seriously in hand
Nevertheless. judged by the standard Of Chinese
cities, SoochOw is very fairly clean. The de-
struction Of the place by the rebels got rid OF a
vast number of old dwellings, and the buildings
which have taken their place fairly habit
able The walls though Overgrown with YER
dure, still stand massive and erect testifying
20 the skill Of their old builders; and the chief
pagoda Of the city. though said to date back to
the Christian era. is in thorough preservation |
We assembled to the topmost of its nine stories
and gained lovely panoramic view Of the
rounding country from the summit. 1t is said
20 have been spared by the TAPPING leader
though he was pressed 10 destroy il by his own
on the pretext that it was the only
point which commanded q view OF Gordon's
From Soochow to hin-Kiang on the Great
Yang-tse River. our course lay for the greater
~ n tha H.
considering its antiquity. Even now
1t forms an important artery Of commerce and
intercourse between the capital and the fertile
silk country to the south, and is in excellent !
preservation. Rice and mulberries form the
main crops for many scores OF miles along its
banks, and through its yellow waters gdes
neyer-snding procession of Junks and boats. a
few miles below Chin Kiang the Grand Canal
dsembogues into the great river, to emerge
again a little higher up stream and resume its
northward trend to Picking. The Grand Canal
VIII always monopolize a share Of the aggregate
frafhc along the Shanghai Soochow-C hin Kiang |
line of country. but It must be remembered thai
river traffic and railway traffic are not antago-
nistic. Numerous instances may be called TO |
mind where IT has been found not only expedi-
ent. but absolutely necessary, to supplement
river traffic by riparian railway lines. running
part pessu with the waterway. The Rhine and
the Indus. may be cited examples Of this rule
ana the populous tracts OF Kiangsu are sure 10 |
form no exception.
Chin ktang is 4 busy treaty port in the Yang
Use. The scenery becomes very interesting as
oHc approaches the town from the east, q char
acteristic feature being commanding hills Of
bold outline. clothed with verdure and crowned
by fort. pagoda or temple. Some Of the first
named have been erected on commanding posi-
tons. and have been armed with modern artil- |
Iery IN the hands Of a Western Power they
could De made TO offer an effectual bar TO any |
hostile fotilla. |
CITY WITHOUT HOUSES
From Chin Kiang to Nankin 1t took our steam
launch and houseboat about nine hours during |
which we were cooped in tiny saloon by q |
most determined downpour But on reaching |
the ancient capital Of China the weather
cleared. and the change much appreciated
bY for Nankin a heanfifi1l if,, L. |