The Portland daily press., 1899-01-07

Ii Hang change MIG c..srsss.
(Chicogo Rscord. }

(Chicogo Rsosrd
Ia Hung Chang has suplisa 70 the Ohio
of Engineers In washingeun fss in1erns-
ton cocnosrniag the measures thst have
oesn taken by our govsrnmsst to con
fine the Mississippi to IL banks. and has
been furnished with o quantAty Of charts,
plans and other documents descriptive Of
the levee system and the operations Of the
Mississippi River Commission. Instead
Of restoring Earl LII 10 his old places ..
Grand Secretary. member Of the Council
Of State and Tsuns-Li Yamen from
which he was dismissed BY the Emperor,
.he Empress Dowagep has directed him "a
take charge Of long contemplated effort
to prevent the annual overflow Of the
Hoang- Ho, or Yellow River, which Il
fsmiliarly known ss "China's Sorrow. -
This 10 the second river In size In China
1t rises 10 the mountains Of Siberia and
flows through the populous provinces Of
She's -Shi, Shang-Si, Ps-Ches-Les and
Shan Tung, draining the northsrn hall
Of the Empire. For three-fourths Of its
leppth IL flows through o mouptainous
country, where the rainfall 10 very great
For the remainder IL flows through low.
fat country, which In some places il
below the natural level OF the river, and
the waters have 90 bs confined TO she
channel by banks and dikss. In the
spring and fall torrents Of water come
down from the mountains and rush across
the plsins TO the SEQ, carrying destruction
with them. There 10 always . vAst sacri-
tice Of life and property, because the pso-
pie never take precsutisns against danger
and As many as one hundred thousand
changes its course frequently. and for
several hundred miles on either side tbs
inhabltantsare always In = state Of tsrror.
Some years ago when Ii Hung Chang
WINS Vicsroy, be employed General James
II. Wilson, of Delaware. who was second
in command during the recent invasion
Of Porto Rico, and II now In camp 81
Huntsville with bis army corps, te make
survey and submit plan for tho psr-
mansnG Improvement OF the situation
General wilson spent some time In China
for that purpose but his plan was not
adopted, and his services were dispsnssd
with because his conditions and methods
were not agreeable to the mandarfns. He
claimed the right to appoint and dis
charge his assistants instead o. allowing
the mazda rims to I'LL his stan with favor.
ties. He insisted also that the appropriA-
ton for the improvement should be sub
ject to his own expenditure without In.
reference from other officiala In other
words, he insisted upon managing the
business himself. which would prevent
the mandarins from making q pront oct
Of ths improvement
Ii Hung ChanE's appointment IS
director Of the improvements was there
fore all appropriate one; but at the same
time It 10 suspected that the Empresa
Dowagsr was glad to have an excuse fos
SO nding him to distant provinces. where
his progressive energy might be employed
without interfering with her own pur-
poses. The venerable Earl has undertsk
On the work with great zeal, and II be
succeeds In protecting the people Of China
from the danger which constantly threat
ems them from this terrible river he will
be entitled to the everlasting gratitude Of
his country. Until now they have de
pended upon making prayers and burning
Incense to the dragons which have oon-
troll Of this yellow river.