The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-09-29
CHINESE POLICEMEN.
Curious Regulation, OF the Force of 3o,eao
on Duty at Pek,n.

In costume a Chinese policeman IS
something between circus clown and
a football player His bre"ches are
always baggy, and very wei wadded-
so clumsy yoU wonder how he gets
around in them, particularly when. as
is often the case, he wears coat. also
thick and clumsy, coming we'll below
the knees. Dark blue IS the prevailing
color. set off with bands and facings
of lighter blue, red. green, maroon and
brown, but never yellow. That is the
sacred or royal hue, permitted to no.
body below the rank of Eiceroy.
In the treaty ports, that is to say
those open to foreign influence and
commerce, the police force is largely
made I'D of Sikhs from northern India.
The reason, perhaps is that the
Chinese themselves are essentially I'M
warlike, they have proverb to the
effect that mo good man is ever
soldier" AS men in the pay Of the
Chinese Government, whether natives
or not, they have taken an active part
in the present trouble in China.
The police rank officially as gend-
armerie. In Pekin tie mead of them
Is always Manchu. Policemen must
be plentier than DlackberrieS in the
Chinese capital. The sacred or i'm
perial walled city keeps between tif.
teen and twenty thousand of them.
This walled city is two miles square,
with two great gates in each wall
face. half a mile from the corners. and
q mile from each other. Broad streets
stretch straight from one to another
thus cutting the space inside into
big nine-block. Police 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 ali the city gates. They are
nine IN number-Since the side next
the palace proper has an extra gate
in%the exact middle of the two-miie
wall. Policemen in this the Tartar
City belong to what is known as the
Eight Banner Corps. They do not
carry arms. not even so much as the
baton of Il civilized officer, but keep
swords, spears, guns and cutlasses in
racks at'the stations, and make rush
for them when they hear the signal
gun. This is fred by an officer whose
special charge it Is, either upon orders
or If in his own judgment it is neces-
sary-~fhe penalty for firing it at the
wrong time is severe--it may be degra-
dation and banishment or strangula-
ton.
Upon parades and reviews the po-
Iicemen are always armed, especially
: if 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 gbsstly wounds. Besides the 90
OCO within the wall. Pekin main
tains a force of 1900 with which to
regulate affairs in the outer city. They
are under command Of the~same gen.
eral officer and governed by the same
regulations. though there are Tari-
ations arising from the differences Of
situation. Men and officers alike fur
nish their own uniforms, bat are arm
ed by the State; and receive monthly
rice allowance S addition to their pay.
:, 1,ls,su,S.szaII . fair salary, but the
"a - - nate officers are
men ana suooS sstanding, they
make and save money enod4 4aee..,.
flFe after moderate terms of seryice:
Influence" in the shape of cold cash
e+anfIs tho prisoners friend in China