The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-15
THE STORM CENTRE
 OF THE WORLD
Dr. B. Warren Conant.
ARTICLE V.
Hong Kong mad Canton.

Hong Kong mad Canton.
 A sea voyage of about HOO miles to the south will take us from the capital of the Chinese empire to the second city in size and importance, Canton. Like Peking, it Is situated on q river about 100 miles from the coast. and 1t is the greae commercial entrepot of the country. The popuid ion is over ,re million.
 In some respects 1t is admirably situated At the junction If the Si- Kiang and Pel-Kiang Rivers, and at the head of a delta which furnishes many outlets to the ocean. it is a natural meeting point of exports and imports. These advantages were early recognized, for it is a very old city. the first mention of it in Chinese records being in the fourth century B. c. The main outlet to the sea. which is really the union of the two rivers above mentioned. is called by foreign CTS the Canton River. Canton is a foreign corruption of Kwangtung.
 It is a typical Chinese city. Although it was here that the opium wal started in the late thirties. which re- suited in the cession of Hong Kong to the British. Canton has ktpt itself dlHIoSl Dy lIlc and architectural reform nonsense of the hated and dcspised foreigner. It's streets are as narrow and tortuous and filthy as need be to delight the htart of every Celestial. and the mortality threatens to overpopulate the Chinese heaven. There are 5000 blind in the city and 5000 lepers. The Chinese are left to enjoy their own nastiness to the full, for the English prefer to live in settlements of their own. The con- ceited stupidity of the natives renders them unwilling to profit by the ex- ample of the foreigners, even when it is right before their eyes.
 Canton is walled city, in part. But its rickety houses have long since overf1owed the walls and spread along the river bank in both directions, and then across the river to an island on which is the city of Honan. The river is here three-fourths of mile wide and presents a spectacle not to be dupli- cated elsewhere in the world, for it Is covered with junks and sampans. The latter are house-boats, about a dozen feet long, and In them thousands of families are born, live and die, scarcely ever setting their feet on dry land. The boats are packed together in solid blocks, with watery streets between a Chinese Venice. While the house. boat mother is at work she leaves her child to play as it will, only with a string tied to it for the purpose of pull ing it in, should 1t fall overheard. That is to say, if 1t is male child. If a female child should fall into the water. and there should happen to be no string to save it by, no one would feel badly about it.
 Canton has always been a very inde- pendent city In 164s it took up arms in behalf of the Ming dynasty. or real Chinese Emperors, and against the Manchu conqueror. It stood siege for a whole year, and was punished by the slaughter of 100000 of its inhabitants and the sacking of the city. Other wise the city has Tot changed for centuries. Yet it is the home of many industries. Besides being a center of exchange, it also manufactures great quantities of silks, paper porcelain, glass, lacquer, ivory and wood carv- ings, and embroideries exquisite in de- sign and delicacy of workmanship. Here was first put in circulation that curious patois known as pigeon Cor pidgin) English, the general medium of communication between the Chinese merchant and the foreign buyer. Its base Is English, grotesquely and un- grammatically used, with some ad- mixture of Portuguese and Hindus- tanee. ,,
 Now, let us bid a glad goodbye to the sights and smells of Canton and drop down the river about 95 miles to Hong Kong. to enjoy once more the white mans order, system. sanitation and ample streets and buildings It Is oI ct ha obvious to need pointing
 Most people suppose Hong Kong is city. It is not city, but an island, situated southwest of Canton and just at the outlet of the river. Its loca- tion and nature are admirable for the English use. Ten miles long. by seven wide, its thirty three square miles contain every variety of scenery and climate; hill and valley, woods and rivers, rocky mountains and level beaches. reefs and islets. and there is a magnificent harbor in which all the navies of the world might ride at anchor amply. This harbor Is one the north shore and from the waters edge rises the city of Victoria, banked up the sides of a mountain whose granite peak towers 2,000 feet above. The island has been in English hands since 1841.
 Lying a little north of latitude 22 degrees. Hong Kong Is about on a line with Havana and Calcutta. In many respects it Is a wonderful island. Any of the inhabitants who need & change of climate can get 1t at home by mov- 8 few miles. Near the coast 1t is pos sible to find, eight months in the year. and especially in July and August, a hot, moist climate. which approximates a continuous Turkish bath: while on the tops of the hills are delightful breezes and cold nights calling for blankets.
 For four miles along the north shore stretches the city of Victoria, backing up also against the mountain in streets which quickly fray out into the scat tered villas of the wealthy. These last peep out of the foliage clear to the summit. To them the head officials and English merchants retreat in sum mer every night from the awful sSeam and stew of the lowland. To those