Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-12-21

WITHOUT PERMISSION from the general
guarding the gate to be entered. When
Count Won 6Valdersee wanted to so
through the place, he got permission
from General Chaffee to pass through
the south gate, as it leads right through
the imperial buildings.
ut now appears from cable reports
that for some reason General Chaffee
refuses any longer to give permission
and has barred the way through the
south gate to the imperial buildings.
1t Is not unnatural that General Chat
fee should protest against the removal
Of the old observatory instruments.
These instruments formed the first
acceptance by China. go years ago,
Of western science. To take them
from their position and carry them
away seems to be unnecessary and cal
culated to excite unnecessary COM
ment.
"The instruments are out of date, but
they are beautiful specimens of bronze
work. Their removal Il do no posi-
bic good, and it is difficult to see upon
what ground it\ can be justified. |
cannOt believe that Count Won Valdez
see would cOuntenance such an act.
Nor would any II be surprised, if
he did countenance it. that Chaifee
should protest against it,"
General Wilson related to the report
err his impression of the imperial build
ings. He said that their appearance
inside gave much evidence Of the pOv-
erty existing in China. The throne
room was dirty and the throne itself
nothing but a wooden chair gilded.
"There was an unusual sight in the
emperor's room, though" said General
Wilson. "He had a mania for clocks.
His room was filled with clocks or
every description. There were hun
drcds of them, some of Chinese manu-
facture, some made in Europe and
some made in the United States. There
were clocks on stands, on the walls
and on the floor. Beside handsome
brass mounted clocks On the wall were
hung common everyday wooden clocks.
There was one on the floor drawn By
an elephant. There were clocks in the
form Of birds and flowers. Even the
room occupied by the empress had a
great many clocks in it, but here taste
turned to pieces of bric-a-brac, though
she had very few articles of any beau
ty or cost. There was some carved
wood in her personal palace, which, by
the way, is now occupied by Count
Won Waldersec. but even there no
signs Of comfort or luxury We're to be
seen.
apparently linen bedclothes vera
unknown. She had no pillows anG
nothing you could call a mattress on
her bed. 1t was hard, without springs
and covered only by n quilt or mat.
The house had none of the conven-
fences of sewerage, and the lily pond
near it was the reservoir for all the
drainage of the street. The whole
place served to illustrate how China
has preserved its primitive state. Birds
few about inside the imperial build
ings with freedom, and everything
looked neglected"
General Wilson spoke in high praise
of the Japanese soldiers. He declared
that they are simply wonderful.
Their courage in battle cannot De
surpassed" he remarked. "Our troops
are brave. They are great fighters.
and the officers of the foreign armies
say so. but they insist that the Amer
lean soldier is not a soldier in the
strict military sense.
"The European soldier does not un-
derstand the discipline of the American
army. He is differently trained and
does not consider the American a sol
der at all. The Germans in this re-
spect are perfectly trained. but they
are not ahead of the Japanese in fight
ing qualities. nor are they ahead of the
Americans. Our boys are a different
class of men. They are intelligent
and educated. They are men of differ
ent character"