The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-18
VIEWS OF WI TING FANG
CHINESE MINISTER THINKS HIS PEO-
PIE DISCOVERED AMERICA.
Carried by Wind and Wave Across the
Pacifc-Natives of Alaska Are
Said to Re MongOIians.
washington Special.

Washington Special
Minister WI Ting Fang said to-day that
he regards it as an established fact that
the Chinese are the discoveries of Amer
lea. The celebrated Chinaman talked for
half an hour on Tbs matter. He asserted
that all his information on the subject led
him TO feel certain that the ancestors of
his own people landed in America in cent
uries past, built temples, and left such
traces of their handicraft as to render
absolutely beyond denial the assumption
that they we're on the western hemisphere
hundreds of years before Columbus or
Americas Vespucius.
II do not know what the records of
China, if there are any on this subject,
show as to the part our people played in
the discovery of America he said, "but
1 am convinced TO a certainty that China
men landed on the Pacific slope hundreds
of years ago and left such traces and
works TO make their authorship beyond
question. After 1 had reached manhood
and had gone into this particular study 1
found undeniable facts tending to this con-
clusion. / am aware that eminent men of
all nations have a share in the claim that
the Chinese. either by accident or storm,
q
country To the then strange land OF the
far West. do not know that one particu-
lar man headed an expedition to this COM
tinent from China, but all signs point TO
the truthfulneSS of this opinion.
II would like to call attention to fact
which may or may not be generally known
by your people. For centuries 1t has been
reported that Chinese boats have been
driven to the shores of Alaska, and even
on the coast farther south. There is no
found in a partially dismantled condi-
ton on the Pacific coast within our men,
DRY. 1t is fair to presume that my ances-
tors met with the same fortunes while at
sea, and that they, too, were carried by
currents and winds far into the east, and of
necessity were landed on the coast of this
continent.
81 know that evidences of the Chinese
have been found in Mexico and California,
and can point to different authorities on
archaeology TO bear me out in this asser-
ton.
Minister WI takes it for an acknowledged
fact that his countrymen were cast upon
American shores ages ago. and there is
disputing the authorities, he says, on this
point.
Right upon the heels of his statement is
another corroborative of this interesting
story. DR.. Sheldon Jackson, chief of the
Alaskan division in the office of the commits
sioner of education, spent a number of years
in Alaska and took away from that country
numerous evidences of Chinese visitation.
lie brought Il coat OF mali from Alaska,
which he presented to the museum of
Princeton University, and which proves
conclusively that the, MongolianS visited
Alaska. In an interview to-day he said:
81 obtained this coat of mall from the
tiveS at Cape Prince OF Wales. They told
me that it had been q relic of great value
to themselves and their forefatherS and
was centuries old.
This coat was Of wairus skin, probably
three inches thick, and was in a state of
excellent preservation. l suppose il would
render harmless any spear that was thrown
by enemy in those times. 1t was
covered with Chinese coins that bore every
sign of Chinese origin. The natives when
they presented it TO me said that Chinese
had landed in Alaska ages ago and that
this was a memento Of their visit Emil
nent archaeologists have said that there is
no question that the coins Chinese.
Believing the article of historic value |
presented 1t to Princeton University and
suppose it is still in the museum of that
institution.
II found other traces of Eastern civiiza-
ton in Alaska, but what / regarded as
the best evidence is found among certain
natives along the Alaskan coast If you
should transport one of these fellows to
China I'll warrant you could not pick him
out from among the Chinese. The test was
in a band of natives there was one China
man and challenged me to pick out the
right man. l was utterly unable to do so.
/ am personally convinced that there is a
strong diffusion of Oriental blood among
the natives along the Alaskan coast"
DR.. Jackson also commented on the fact
that Chinese and Japanese junks have been
found on the western shore, and corrob-
grated the testimony of Minister WI on
this and other points