The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-08
CHINESE CIVILIZATION.
IFS ANTIQUITY Shows ny THE At
THENTICATED RECORDS.
scheme OF ADMINISTRATORS same as
~ was More Than Two Thousand
Near. Auo.

~ was More Than Two Thousand
Years AGO.
From the washington Star
The origin or on nose civi izat,on ia
list IN obscurity." Is the striking obser-
walton made by Harold r. Gorst OF Edin-
b1rgh. scotland. who writing on chi
ra." SOS on 60 say. Its immense antiqul-
b, may be gathered from the fact that
historical r, cords that go back TO nearly
500 YEAR, before the Christian era pre-
q nj the people Of China In much the
,lme state OF culture as that Ia which
they remain to-day. D h. pres. NJ system
II government dates from the reign OF
Chi-Hwang-u. about 80 years before
Christ. who originated the scheme Of adj
ministration which has been followed by
every succeeding dynasty for more than
on years. Immense progress was also
made undsr the hong line OF Chow en-
rorors. whfn the agriculture o. the coun-
e., was largely developed under tn a.
~ ton Of skilled officials. who were ap-
tointed TO superinteni irrigation works
and % Instruct the people IN improved
methods Of cultivation In this way the
resources OF the empire may be said 20
have been evolved. Hu, for countless gen
era ions before the government took the
material welfare ~ the population IA
hand IN this pairiarchal manner the Chi
re~o were a highly cultured people, with
an established literature and an admira-
I'D, social organization.
Monuments Of the skill and industry ~
bvrone ages have been handed down .
posterity. as diving proof Of the glory
OF past achievements. IN the shape Of
magnificent canals and bridges. Under
che sung dynasty 8dmiranle broad nigh
ways were constructed. paved with stone
and shaded by avenues Of fine treos; bur
these have been permitted through tha
gross negligence Of local authorities to
tall oui OF repair while in many PAGES.
through the uprooting OF both trees ar1
ncs-mlsappropfiatcd for fuel OF
building purposes-they have been entire
is destroyed. The canals and bridges.
however. sfiil remain. The former sup
PIGMENT che river systems IN China. and
almost the entire carrying trade OF he
empire o. effected by means Of the junks
which swarm along these waterways. %
the iron suspension bridge. By means of
which many rivers are crossed IN Western
china. travellers have often enough spok-
a. IN eulogistic terms.
Proficient in shfpbuIIdInE.
In shipbunding she Chinese have been
Proficient FOR centuries Marco Paulo
speaks OF large four-masted vessels. con-
taining nifty or sixty cabins. which are
used for trading 10 aud from the islands
80 the Pacific. Their huIs we're built. he
says. in water-tiEht compartments. AMI
eome 81 che biggest iunks were manned bv
two or three hundred sailors The chi
nese were the first to build ships in com
portmonts, and Il was IN imitation Of them
mat simdilar method was employed IN
more recent timee by European construc-
tors The highest praise mas been given
70 the Chinese for the skill with which
they manage their vessels. Their river
navigation II superior to that of any other
tauon the gunks being handed with
oorsummate Ingenuity. II was the Chi
nese. also. who first invented the com
PASS which was used by them more than
fifteen hundred years ago
without the aid Of Western science won
uerful results have been achieved In the
Industries Of China by the invention OF
clever though simple contrivances Huc
relates how salt manufacturers in See
ohunn utilize volcanoes for furnaces with
perfect safety which may certainly be re-
garded as n high test OF dexterlty. For
their mining operations the Chinese use a
torch made OF sawdust and resin. which
burns brightly without flame and does not
ignite the inhammable gases IN tho shaft
Metals are worked, and great bells cast
with precision and finish that may COM
pare favorably with similar productions
Of European workmanship The manu-
facture OF porcelain IS carried on. chiefly
in the province OF Kiangsi under the most
perfect system OF divided labor 50 adj
van-cd. in fact are the Chinese In respect
20 ART productions that an extensive bust
ness Is done. as elsewhere nearer home
In skillful limitations Of ancient ware
which Is as much priced by Chinese ANA
'surs as q is BY European collectors. The
antiquity OF porcelain manufacture T.
great, the finest specimens OF China vases
dating from the Han dynasty. at the be-
ginning OF our era.
Junk Travelling on Waterways.
Of all methods OF locomoiion in the Chi
rcsc empire the most agreeable. by uni
versal consent. IS junk travelling on the
waterways. The Weather classes go
about 10 a great extent. and for their con-
Nenience comfortable and weli-htted boats
are on hire al all the chief inland ports.
Besides these there are. OF course. public
junks. which do not offer many more com
forts than are 20 be Obtained on hoard ar
ordinary steamboat. aud which possess the
same disadvantage OF being ovcrcrowded
ana dir,y. The usual mode OF travelling
So the Southern provinces Is by water. nut
SD the north. and IN those districts which
DO not possess good river or canal com
municalions. there are other and more
painful means OF transport. In the first
place. there is the paladuin. which CORE
spends more or less 10 the sedan Of our
forcfathers The bearers Of these aristo-
cratic conveyanoes accomplish the most
surprising ieats In the way 81 climbing
mountains or crawling along the edges 81
q precipice. but IL Is fatiguing thing 20
D. shut M for a Dong journey Ia a box.
should. however. the palanauin BE- reject
.d there Is only choice OF evilf. The
wheelbarrow. a favorite vehicle in the
north. seems scarcely compatible with the
dignity % the travelling European. In sA,e
OF the superiority conferred uTon II BY
'he hosting % a sail In a favorable wind;
Oud there only remains. unless horse or
an ass be- ridden by preference. the alter
tltivo OF driving Ia spfingl'sa cart. The
io.tinE OF The latter on the shocking.y
Neglected roads g. 30 fearful that upsets
urc the rule rather than the exception.
.nd it ~ 20 tho frequency OF these acct
dents that Hue attributes the skill OF the
native doctors IN setting fractured limbs
Ia~i~ 81 Loterary Examinations.
Education may be said 20 be completed
lr the study 81 the nine classical books
which form the basis Of the literary eN-
uwiuations OF these one % the mogt In
teres'ing Is the Shl King. or Book OF
tdos collected hV Confuclua II consists