The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-05
Manchuria.

Manchuria, which now occupies the
center Of the state in world politics,
is a larger slice of the earth's surface
than many imagine. In fact, it is a
tremendously large province. us area
is 400, 900 square miles, and if it could
der Of the United States it would COW
er all the New England States. together
with New York, New Jersey, Delaware,
Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
1t is situated in the northern part of
China. On the east Manchuria is
bounded by a little strip of Siberia and
by the highlands and solitudes which
separate it from Korea, the hermit
kingdom. On the south is the Yellow
sea and westward it stretches away
toward Mongolia, without natural from
tiers.
To keep out the Manchurians the
Chinese 1000 years g erected a great
wall along the frontier. It still stands
the most stupendous work ever con-
structed by the hand of man. Millions
OF workmen were employed upon it,
and ere its 1900 miles of tortuous
length had been completed millions of
human lives were the CHASTITY tribute
which it demanded. Upon the Man
gray brick and stone, bristling with
churian side it presents a bold face OF
towards, which were a formidable de-
Tense in the days of crossbow warfare.
On the Chinese side is a steep en-
bankment of earth. 1t served its pur-
pose we'll until one fateful day, away
back in the seventeenth century, a
Chinese emperor, sore pressed by reb-
els at the very gate Of Pekin, let the
Manchurian hordes through the wall in
order to gain their assistance in sub
DUNG the enemies. The Manchurlans
never returned. From that day to this
their dynasty has ruled China.
Though the Russians have built a
railroad through the country the man
ners and customs of the people in the
more remote districts are described as
still primitive. The mule carts. which
form the only means of TRANSFORMATION
have clumsy, nail-tudded wheels, with
axels as big as kegs. and bumt
along over unseen stones in the SAM
ruts which have been followed for a cen.
fury and travellers tell US tina
wives are still bought in the narke
place of its cities like calves and dog
n are taken home, clad in georgou
colored silks and wearing head dress
es of tinsel and artificial flowers.
There are a to be 12,0 O0, 900 peopl
in Manchuria, living in three provinces
Shrinking, kirin and Tsi-tsi-har. TIL
first is the largest and best known
The chief city, Mukden, is known a
the affuent capital" and has a pop
ulation as large as Washington. 1t i
surrounded by a low mound wall, tel
miles IN circuit, within which is an
other wall, three miles around. thirty
five or forty feet high and fifteen fee
in width.
Though the climate is healthy. tn
country being mountainous and mucI
of t covered with forests, except in tn
west which is barren and dessoIate
the extremes in temperature are great
h Thermometer will rise as high a
80 degrees in the summer and descen,
as low as 20 or 80 degrees below ger
in the winter. The rivers, which ar
numerous remain frozen from Decemb
numerous, remain frozen from Decem
Der to April.
But there are parts of Manchuria her
the corn grows, and millet and whea
are easily raised. These are the fer
tile valleys. Upon the happy contras
Of h wilds of the Siberian steppes tn
Russians early fastened e%nvirous eyes
1t offered to him a place for settlemen
where he would not be frozen in tn
embrace of winter for min months o
the year. And even in the froze1
mountains and desolate plains there i
gold, gold, gOld,-anG it was for thes
reasons that Adam Fad, the bear tina
walks like a man" placed his hand o,
Manchuria and declines to take It off.
No wonder h a when the rest of tn
world awakening TO the magnifcen
prize which she has seized, utters
warning protest, We hear the deep an,
angry groWl of The bear.-Ashevill
Citizen.