The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-03
MIR. 70 NUNS SCOOP.
Chinese Editor the First to Tell OF
Dewcy's Big Victory.

From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
San Francisco, CaL-Mun Kee, Che lead
ing Chinese paper of San Francisco. an
nOunces with commendable frankness
that it will print no more war cable dis
patches. 20 Nun, the editor, points with
pride to the record his paper has made,
and proves that he has scored beat of
the greatest Importance. Men who write
funny paragraphs for the American news
papers have mentioned Nun Koe as the
least euterprisiug newspaper in The world:
it has now shown what 81 is capable of.
just before the war began 10 Nun sat
in his office on Dupont street every night,
paint brush i'm hand, writing editorials
telling his subscribers that war was i'm
minent. China had had a war, and 20
Nun knew OF no reason way America
could not have one also. So, while the
editors Of the big papers down town were
intimatiug that the conflict was a long
way off, Pc Nun was preparing his read
ers to expect another conflict like the bat
tie of the Yalu. Pc Nun comes from Can
ton, but he has a friend who works on a
Chinese newspaper published in Hong
Kong. \ long letter full Of queer Chi
nese characters was sent across the Pa
cihc 10 the Hong Kong newspaper man.
instructing him to cable to Nun kee ten
WORKS OF clDHef ABOUT the flEt bNitle.
When Admiral Dewey left Hong Kong
to find and destroy the Spanish fleet many
rumOrs We're circulated among the inhabi-
tants of that metropolis of the orient
Chinese are inveteratc gossips one who
IS not acquainted with their character
cannot understand how quickly they
transform an unsubstanhal rumor into
what purports TO be an absolute fact sur
rounded with interesting details
On the SUNDAY on which the battle of
Manila took place rumors of a naval con-
fiict We're plentiful in Hong Kong. They
finally crystallized 10 such an extent that
Pc Nuns Hong Kong correspondent be-
lteved himself justified in sending a dis
patch to the San Francisco newspaper.
When Pc Nun got the cablegr1m he had
no doubt of It's truth The Chinese editor
had no means of ascertainiug lis truth or
falsity, even if he had been suspicious
that it might not be true. AS soon as he
received it he began the work of printing
it, and, being something of a patriot, he
added that the Americans had won the
greatest victory Of modern times.
After his paper had been printed he
went down town to the American newspa-
per offices, expecting, of course, 20 get all
the details of the battle Pc Nun reads
English very well, and il did not take
him long to ascertain that the American
newspapers had no news from Manila.
ed themselves. and he went into the bust
ness office Of one of the dailes. When
the young man behind the counter recov-
cred from his amazement a the offer of
the Chinese editor to SELL his paper some
news he explained to Po Nun that no
newspaper would consider the matter Sc
riously. Pc Nun went home.
All that day while men who visited
Chinatown saw the M0ngOlians standing
around ia little crowds and heard them
talking about war. They smiled as they
commented on the creduity of the Chinks.
or course, HO Vow, the vice consul, and
other educated Cinnamon did not implic-
lily believe Nun KEGS cablegram, but the
rank and file of the Mongolians were sure
it was true, especially when Po Nun per-
sonally Vouched for the accuracy OF the
assertions his paper had made
Taking a lesson from his white breth-
rem, Pc Nun IN each succeeding issue Of
Nun Kee proclaimend tie fact that there
had been a battle on Sunday al Manila,
and that the American had won wonder
full victory. He reiterated this so persist
emily that Ho Vow. the vice consul, ex-
pressed his belief that 1t might be true.
The American newspapers heard OF this
and promptly sent reporters TO Interview
him. When 1o Vow frankly confessed that
his only source Of Information was Nun
Kee, the reporters smiled charitably, and
politely said that il was quite natural that
he should place credence IN the paper pub
lished by his countryman. After assur-
ing MIN that they would let him know all
about the fight when Il actually took place
they went back to heir offices. and no fur
Their attention was paid to the matter
Meanwhile Po Nun, through the medium
or his oratory and his newspaper kept
telling the Cinnamon about the battle. SO
when the American papers finally came
along with the account OF DeWey's victory
HN.s a
the only persons in san Francisco who
were not SURPRISED.