The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17
FROM -9IENTSlN TO PBKIN
Danger and Inconvenience in Land
ing Troops at Taku Forts.
Described by Naval officer Re-
Gently in the Oriental Empire
Miles on Shore on Account of n Bar
Journey by Rail to the Capital.

NEW YORK. June ia naval officer
who has Just returned from the Asiatic
station recently made two journeys to
Pekin by way of Tientsin and the rail-
road. which the Boxers have in part de-
stroyed, and along which the foreign ma
rines and sailors are now advancing to the
Chinese capital He describes the approach
TO the Chinese capital as extremely I'M
comfortable, even at the best OF times.
Not only is the journey by rail very te-
dious, but the preliminaries to landing
from a ship-of-war are inconvenient and
even dangerous.
THE Taku forts he said, $50 frequently
referred to in current dispatches are
adobe structures on the coast at the mouth
of the Pei-Ho. Either from lack of en-
terprise or of studied purpose, the Chinese
permit a dangerous bar TO exist off the
mouth of the Pei-Ho in front of the forts.
This bar and the shadows about it extend
go far out that men-of-war are forced to
lie fifteen miles on shore, entirely out Of
eight Of land.
when q naval officer has occasion to
visit Pekin he must drop from his ship
into little launch and In this light craft
make the journey across the bar and to the
point where be is to take the train for
Tient.in The journey by rail thence is
about twenty miles. The hour of departure
Is always uncertain, and the train is ex-
tremely slow.
THE road runs through q densely-peo-
pied region in which are few Europeans.
Tientsin itself is a considerable Chinese
town on the Pei-Ho. II has small foreign
colony, but is likely. in view of disturb
snces at Pekin and elsewhere in the in
terror to have this colony considerably en-
larged by refugees.
The journey from Tientsin to Pekin Is
made at better speed than the journey from
the coast to Tientsin; besides for IS one
may have the privilege of riding in an i'm
perial postal car, which has some Of the
comforts Of the American parlor car. II
is little misleading, however TO speak OF
the journey 10 Pekin by rail, for the near
est station IS about five miles from the
city. The abomination Of modern civiliza-
ton may not come nearer the sacred city.
The journey from the station TO Pekin is
made over one of the worst roads on earth,
and In a peculiarly uncomfortable vehicle
the Chinese country cart.
'Pekin itself is city of a million in
habitantE. standing in a desert, without |
sewers, and without e public water supply. |
The filth of the place, which is almost IN
beiievable offends the nostrils at every /
turn. The streets are III paved. and get
ting about the city is uncomfortable and
even dangerous Pekin is walled, with a
most picturesque piece of masonry, but |
the city has outgrcwn its bounds, and froI.i
the top Of the wall one may see the outer |
suburbs stretching wide and densely |
crowded.
1T is hardly accurate TO say that Pekin |
has a foreign quarter in the sense in viii h |
that phrase Is understood in the treay /
ports. The foreign residents are membe. /
OF the legations, the missionaries, and !
their households Each foreign Household !
lives In a compound of its own. These I
compounds are the only clean places in the |
city. The compound of the British Lega-
zion is large and attractive. The same is |
true of the plot occupied by the Russian |
Legation. Our own legation occupies |
beat but far too small compound, near the
city wall.
THE legations ard the mi seionaries have
q social life of their own, and the repre-
sentatives of foreign powers give bril,ia-t
entertainments. The social life of the le-
cations, however, goes on In the presence
of a vast hostile population, and IS rem
dered little uncomfortable at times ly
reason of national Jealous fears and sus-
picions. The presence of a large Russian
force at Port Arthur. just across the Gu
Of Pechili from the Taku forts. does no:
tend to lessen the uneasiness Of life at the
legations.
'Pekin has hot and rather unhealthy
summer climate. The city is as near as |
may be in the same latitude as Philade- |
phia, hut considerably further inland. |
Many Of the coast towns are also I'M
healthy, but Chefoo. on bluff facing the |
sea, about 200 miles southeast CT the Taku |
forts, has an excellent climate, and is a
favorite place of summer residence with |
foreigners in that part OF China