The Afro-American advance., 1900-09-22
POLICEMEN IN CHINA.
Appearance and Duties of the queer
Officials I'm the CELESTIAL
Kingdom.

In costume a Chinese policeman 10
something between a circus clown and
football piayer. His breeches are
always baggy and very well wadded-
50 clumsy you wonder how he gets
around in fhem-particularly when, as
Is often the case. he wears a coat, alko
thick aud clumsy. coming well below
the knees. Dark blue is the prevailing
color, set of and accented with bands
and faeingss Of lighter blue, red. green,
maroon and brown. but never yellow.
That is the sacred or royal hue, per-
mitted to nobody below the rank of
viceroy, says foreign paper.
In the treaty ports-that is to say,
those open TO foreign influences and
commerce--the police force is largely
made up of sikhs from northern In
dia. The reason, perhaps, is that the
Chinese themselves are SO essentially
unwariike; they have a proyerb TO the
effect that mo good man is ever sol
der" As men in the pay of the Chi
nese government, whether natives or
not, they have taken an active part
IN the present troubles in China.
The police rank officially as gem
1armerie, In Pekiug the head Of them
is always Manchu. Policemen must
be plentier than blackberries in the
Chinese capital. The sacred or i'm
perial walled city keeps between i5.-
600 and 10000 OF them. This walled
city is two miles square, with two great
gates in each wall face. half a mile
from the corners and mile from each
other. Broad streets stretch straight
from one 10 another, thus cutting the
space inside into big nine-block. Po-
lice stations are scattered all along
the nine squares, especially around
their outer edges, which face upon the
passway inside the wall. The head OF
the police has charge of all the city
gates. They are nine in number-since
the side next the palace has an extra
gate in the exact middle of the two.
mile wall. Policemen in this. the Tar.
tar city, belong to what Is known as
the Eight Banner corps. They do not
carry arms, not even so much as the
baton of a civilized officer, but keep
swords, spears, guns and cutlasscs in
racks at the stations, and make a rush
for them when they hear the signal
gun. This Is fired by an officer whose
special charge IL is, either upon orders
or If in his own judgment IL Is ncces-
sary. TIE penalty for firing IL at the
wrong time is severe--it may be deg
radiation and Punishment or simple
strangulation.
Upon parades and reviews the police
men are always armed, especially il
foreign devils are to witness the re.
view or the parade. The weapons are
curious looking, but wicked in the ex-
treme--the three-hooked spears they
all carry in particular make Jagged
and ghastly wounds. Besides the 90
600 within the wall Peking maintains
q force of 14,0O0 with which to regulate
affairs In the outer city. They are
under command OF the same general
officer and governed by the same regu.
lations, though there are variations
arising from the differences OF situa.
tlon. Men and officers alike furnish
their own uniforms. but are armed by
the state, and receive a monthly rice
allowances in addition TO their pay
The chief gets n fair salary. but the
men and subordinate officers are mea.
gerly paid. Notwithstanding, they
make and save money enough TO retire
after moderate terms of service. "In. /
fuence' In the shape OF cold cash
stands the prisoners friend in China
even more than anywhere else in the /
world. In fact, but for the presents"
the force is allowed to squeeze out /
Of natives and foreigners alike. there 4
might be difficulty in getting men for
the service. even though humanity is /
cheaper than dirt cheap all over the /
Celestial empire.
EAMYT TtTIsc TM A rnrr