Evening star., 1900-07-09
RUSSlA'S CHINESE PORT
WHAT IS BEING DONE THERE BY
THE ARMY AND NAVY.
Work Carried ON Under Adverse Con-
ditiOns-EnElish and Americans
Furnish Machinery.
From the London Globe.

From the London Globe.
The rival harbors of wei-hai-Wei and
Port Arthur lie within eighty-five miles of
each other, but to go to the latter from
the former. where we were staying. it is
first necessary to visit Chefoo, whence a
steamer can be obtained. Chefoo is in
terestng for many reasons: the progress
it continues to make despite its disadvan-
ages is marvellous. and though the diff
ferent nationalities in the community hate
each other though they stood on oppo-
site sides of the Modder river. yet they
manage to pull together sufficiently to have
an excellent club and to keep the streets
swept and garnished. We crossed to Port
Arthur in a dirty little steamer calling
herself Chinese transport; she carried
cargo of six hundred coolies and fifty head
of cattle, the former closely packed that
the only way to move from the after cabin
to the fore bridge was to climb along the
hammock pettings. Fortunately the sea
was calm. Our passage, we were told, was
given us by special request, and
thought it was on a government transport
that we were carried as a favor. but the
captain made his squeeze just the same,
as he came and demanded So. which. he
said, was the right charge for passage
money.
We arrived at Port Arthur at a M. and
awoke to find ourselves in the outer har-
Dor, surrounded by the might and majesty
of the Russian fleet, and with two formid-
able-looking shore batteries of heavy guns
frowning down upon US. Siberian mines
or civility, was waking thought; but
we had not much time for speculation,
a guardboat from the Sivouch very shortly
came alongside with a naval lieutenant and
military surgeon. The former in good
English civilly asked who the first-class
passengers were. what were their names
and business. while the coolies filed past
the surgeon for his inspection. After this
ordeal the guardboat went into harbor and
lat-~
hoisted on the Golden Hill station to say
that we might proceed into harbor. AT
last up went the signal giving permis-
sion to proceed. and we entered the inner
harbor past more batteries. of guns, spite
full little quick-firers this time. grinning
at us from the right-hand side of the har-
Dor, protecting the entrance to the inner
harbor and basin. We were to get over all
money difficulties by being franked by the
ubiquitous Sing-Tai. who has agencies in
all the north China ports. and is as much
at home in Port Arthur as in Kaio-chau. or
Wei-hai-Wei; His agent met us and turned
us over to the care of the solitary repre-
sentative of the only British firm
How are you? Delighted to meet you
Only four of us Britishers here and very
seldom We have any visitors. What would
you like to see?'' THE dockyard and all
round everything there is, if we can" 'Oh,
certainly, come with me-" And within half
an hour of landing We found ourselves
walking into the dockyard, past the sentry
at the gate, without his even asking our
names or our business. Through the dock
yard. up over the hills overlooking the
outer haIbor. only to find. we got nearer
the forts. our passage barred by a notice
board, on which was printed in four Ian
guages - Russian. English. French and
German Entrance prohibited" We turn
ed back and Skirted outside the dockyard
past stacks of fodder for the Cossack
ponies, past commissariat store where
daily rations We're being issued, along by
the Greek church "a building almost en-
tlrplv nf pl will
the new smart building. the residence Of
the governor. Admiral Alexieff then down
streets half Russian. half Chinese in ap-
pearance. but wholly Chinese in smell and
back to the Bund.
They are busy. these Russians; the steam
ers so in and out, and every steamer brings
loads of cement and wood and railway iron,
while living freights of coolies for the
works of the Lao-Tung peninsula. as well
as for Manchuria, pour over from the
Shan-Tung and adjacent provinces.
steam roller is hard at work making the
streets of the town into decent streets or
trying to make them, but strange want
of oversight haunts the Russians I'm all
practical works, and while the roller
grinds in the stones it also grindS In earth
taken from the mud-1ats. mud which later
in the summer will rise up and breed fever
and ague. and make the inhabitants ask
the old question, Why is Port Arthur so
unhealthy? New buildings are rapidly be-
ing erected and there is much need for
them. for at present a small brick house,
external measurements Go feet by 40. and
unfurnished, carries the high rental Of ESQ
year. New roads are being made leading
to the fort and to the residences of the
officers. just cut out of the sides of the hill
without any metaling. only built up with
stones IN places where it is necessary to
make the sides level They are decidedly
not good roads. They are passable in the
spring, but even then covered with the fine
white dust which during the rains will be
a cinging mud, and during the summer
will rise into the air and find it's way down
throats and into ears and eyes.
The streets are busy: droskys drive to
and fro: COssacks. in their dirty-looking
brown frieze overcoats. are everywhere;
smart. well-set-up officers. carrying them
selves with the swagger of gentleman.
to be seen every side, usually wear
ing the light-gray overcoat that becomes
them so well. The poor coolies. of course,
are there, pushed off the pavement and
treated like creatures too mean to have
any rights, but steadily pursuing their way,
hugging to themselves the thought that a
summer Of toll in Manchuria earns a win
ter of rest in Shan Tung. The Chinese are
to be treated the same Russians SO has
decreed the great white czar. but our
drosky driver missed no chance of lashfng
a passing cOOlie. no matter how heavy the
burden he bore. and there was no one to
rebuke him.
The Russians Were lucky when they took
Port Arthur in finding a ready-made dock
yard to hand and how have they improved
il? The dry dock was too short for the
Rossija. We will add on sixty feet they
said. and sixty feet We're added. only to
find that they had forgotten about the
width. and the Rossija still has to go to
Japan to be docked. We will dredge the
harbor." they said, land must have the
latest appliances" Accordingly they or
dered five dredges from home at a cost of
about fl:D,OOO. and the dredges were up to
date. Two of them were fitted with lad
ders and buckets. as well as sand suctions
with shore delivery to deposit at a distance
of 1000 feet. The other three were sand
suction hoppers only, but unhappiiy for
the Russians and incredible as 1t may seem
the dredges had been ordered on an erro-
neous idea of the nature of the bottom of
the harbor. There Is no sand at all: moth
ing but thick. clayey mud. which cannot
possibly be dealt with by the sand suctions.
though considerable amount of money
was wasted in making abortiye attempts to
use them. All contracts for any practical
works are in the hands of foreigners. either
Danes, Germans, Americans or English
men The Russians not only have not the
plant for their various works but the ofi
cials. naval or military. do not know where
to order 1t: and SO, distasteful though # is
the Russian finds that he has to turn 10
the Engiishman or the American or ,oth
to tell him what sort of plant he VANS
and also where to get It, '
Behind the town af Port Ar+h,,.