The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-15

civil tumult. but they will prove useless
to resist the smallest gun of d modern arm
ament.
The railway to Pekin, although con-
structed according to English plans and
| under English direction, belongs 10 the
Chinese. and is miserably managed, SO far
as its finance goes. by Chinese officials of
the normal type. corrupt, wrong headed.
| and full of self-importance. In the trains
which run to Pekin the only carriage de-
Gently sweet or clean is that of the i'm
perial maritime customs. in which Euro
peans are usually allowed to travel The
railway station at Tientsin is not in the
European settlement but lies On the fur
Their side of the great wooden pontoon
bridge which separates it from the native
quarters. In the attack made by the Box
ers the other day on the Russian force II
seems that the river formed the dividing
line between the two, and 1t must have
been In the attempt to cross the bridge
that the Chinese marauders lost SO heav-
lily. The European settlement Is second
to none In China In the breadth and clean
illness OF its streets and in the solidity and
comfort of its houses Like all the other
"Bunds" 1t lie an Emporium in imperio."
with Its own municipal arrangements and
Its own police. In no part Of the Empire
Is local government better understood OF
administered than In these so-callei con-
cessions Of Chinese territory. Each has its
own city council. with officers and staff,
regularly appointed and adequately paid.
on the exact model of an English munich
pal borough of the first class In fact,
town clerk OF birmingham would find him.
SELF perfectly at home in the town hall
OF FAR away European China.
The severity of the climate which cuts
of Tientsin from the sea for four months
OF the year. has made the merchants put
heavier weight of stone into the construc-
ton OF their houses here than farther
south. and the general appearance resem-
sies nothing SO much as an important
Scotch town. even in the character of its
architecture. which the great Scotch firms
who farm out the Far East have brought
with them from their native land. The
police force is COMPOSED of Sikhs and
Pathans-the "black devils" the Chinese
call them-wfo look funny enough in the
thick blue clothing and white wooden gloves
vi London bobby but do their work TO
perfection. 1t will be shocking catas-
trophe in the East, quite apart from the
horrid probability of massacre and outrage,
IL the Boxers. or their protectors, the Chi
nese soldiery. are able TO lay their hanks
on this admirable oasis Of western civiliza-
ton, which strikes the eye so curiously
IN the midst OF the decadent corruption
oil the Manchus. Tientsin trades in all the |
products OF the northern provinces and OF |
and a prominent feature in The |
streets OF the Chinese city is tho fur and |
skin shop which supplies the natives with |
every sort OF coat. from costly sable, sewn |
and put together from a hundred scraps |
and pieces. to the humble sheepskin for
,ooiie wear.
The Tartar travels with his family and
lis followers Wives riding straddle legged
md children In baskets are mounted on
amel back. and only the actual leaders 90
foot. with the long string Of their charges
GLOWING In single file. tied together in