The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-09
CHINA is FRIENDLY TO Us.
". h. PARSONS SAYS AMERICANS HAZE
GREAT FIELD THERE.


| Remarkable Development of Our Trade in
tho East During 1877 and 1898 Are
| Controlling the Trade in Certain Lines.
md There Is Still Room for Increase.
William Barclay Parsons. civil engineer. re-
turned to this city three days ago from China.
where he was In charge OF a.surveying party
! sent out by the syndicate formed by the late
Calvin S. Drice year ago. The party made
the preliminary survey for n railroad through
the centre CT China. from Hankow to Canton
and the sea. The marty travelled about LOCO
miles through a country many PARTS OF which
had never been visited by white men before
An account OF the trim by ". Kirkpatrick Brice
was printed in The ST." last Sunday.
Mr.. Parsons left this city last October. He
spent some time In Shanghai and left Hankow
on Dec. 10. His party consisted OF nine white
men. two Chinese secretaries OF the Director
General, who had been educated In this coun-
try: guard of sometimes as many as 300 sol-
diers and various local officials. who accom-
panied him through their o n provinces. The
line surveyed was 742 miles long. 1t ran along
the Slang River Valley to the Nanling Noun
tans. through an opening in this chain which
was named Christmas Pass because Of the day
oil which II was first visited, and down the Pei
Ho River to Canton.
yesterday. "is entrelylpracticable and presents
no unusual engineering problems. The grad
Ing work will be a tribe more severe than that
required for most railroads OF similar length in
this country. owing chiefly to great annual
changes Of level OF the Chinese rivers. which
amount to fifty feet in some cases. There will
he 70 big bridges or long.tunnels necessary and
the grades will not be difficult. l prefer not to
speak OF the probable cost NJ grading Ties
on railroads already constructed in China have
nearly all come from this country and are OF
Oregon pine: There Is now in operation at
Hankow a plant which turns out loo tons OF
rails day. and the railroad now being con-
these rails. The euurment of the Brice road
will be American. I suppose. as the American
The ie on AMERICAN trade ID WITH
China. and, indeed. with the whole OF the
Fast. is something remarkable. especially the
great increases during the years 1917 and
1S's. In certain lines Of goods. such as cotton
she.etnrs for example. the American articles
coming re port Of the Chinese Customs Bureau
will make special note OF this fact. and will
market better article at less price than Man.
chester can. American locomotives are used
on both Jananese and Chinese railways, and
lean railway material. Light machines. hard;
an outlet in China il properly pushed. This
Chinese would be glad to trade with Ameri-
cans. On every nanq nearu the greatest en-
pressions OF good will and friendship and de-
sire for closer relations. Othor nations they
say. have in view the Selling Of territory.
whereas cur people desire merely trade. which
would be 81 mutual benefit. The TsunR-ll-
lnmen at Pekin. the governing body OF the
empire gave me an audience on the comple-
ton OF the survey and expressed such views.
The Chinese are remarkably quick. and ana
have once started. was much amused by q
Chinaman who came to me and asked where
the ralr3ad station in his town would be 10.
know. he said he thought he might realize q
handsome prof by buying land In the vicinity.
The remarkable thing about 1t was that tho
American products and American ideas have
already penetrated well into the more ipacces-
sible regions q China. and the undermining Of
The chief source Of wealth in the country
We traversed will be in the DEVELOPMENT OF the
coal fields. which. in the PROVINCE of Human
alone. are Of greater extent:than those OF Penn
destined 20 be reyolutlonized. and there are
great possibilities in all lines Of DEVELOPMENT.
Our. trip was. Il think. accom- plished with
yeyurs would meet with on one Of the same |
length in any part nj this country. We re-
ceived many positive assurances before we
started TINT we could not possibly make the |
journey. and much care was taken 10 forewarn
the people We we're to meet Of our coming. |
With few eyceptors we:ound the people most |
friendly and kindly disposed.
Il have n very interesting souvenir OF the |
trim in n set OF Chinese maps Of the country we |
sraversed. They are nearly all hand made and |
a great deal o. care has been lavshed upon |
They undertake ID show the location OF towns. |
rivers. mountains and means OF communica-
ton. but owing to the fact 4 hat their makers |
had no idea, whatever Of scale; and frequently |
sacrif,ed the continuity OF direction to the |
Iigencies Of their sheets OF paper, the maps
are very much twisted"