Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-03-17
THE CITY OF MUKDEN.
Centuries of War Have Been Waged
About its Walls.

Centuries of War Have Been Wased
About it's Walls.
Mukden, into which the victorious
Japanese hosts have marched, Is
known as China's Sacred CITY," the
cradle of the Manchu race, which has
given the present dynasty to the
throne of China. 1t is the capital of
Liaotung, one of the three provinces
of Manchuria, and is situated on the
River Hun, about 500 miles northeast
of Peking. Without its walls lie
buried in magnificent tombs the first
emperors Of the imperial line, and
within, at the heart Of the city, Is
small palace in which is said to be
concealed enormous wealth, accumu-
lated by successive emperors during a
period Of 200 years.
Mukden is busy, thriving city OF
100000 inhabitants. 1t Is believed
to have existed on its present site
5000 years, but it never attained I'M
portance until the Manchu kings made
1t their capital in 1880. Two hundred
or more years ago it was known by
the name of Sinyang, the name OF
Mukden being conferred by its Man.
chu conquerors.
Historically, Mukden is invested with
a peculiar interest just now, for the
fierce warfare between Russia and ia
pan which has reached it's climax In
the capture of the city brings into
prominence the fact that for thou
sands of years the place has been one
of the worlds central battle points.
The blood of tens of thousands Of war
riors has stained the plains about
Mukden and the ranges Of the Long
White mountains
Accurate data is hard to obtain con-
cerning the early Chinese or Mongo-
liam history, but 1t is known for Ger
tainty that Mukden was a settlement
long before the birth Of Christ. In
5000 years it is estimated that 5,0OO,-
900 men have fought with each other
for possession Of the ancient city, and
that a score or more Of the most noted
battles of the Orient have taken place
in the immediate vicinity.
The city was strongly fortified, ac-
cording to the standards Of old-time
warfare adopted by the Chinese. The
Notifications are laid in regular par
allelograms, between one and two
miles each way, the walls being built
of squared stone or brick, thick and
massive at the bottom and tapering
gradually at the top. They are forty
feet in height, twenty-one in width,
and are protected at the top by an
eight-foot parapet. Thick buttresses
break the monotony Of the long lines
Of masonry at regular intervals.
Outside these walls there is a wide
moat, and then come the suburbs,
which extend for a mile or more on all
sides. These again are inclosed by
walls, which are constructed of mud
and are Of little value as Notifications.
Around the city are fertile plains,
broken by two streams, tributaries OF
the Lao river, which flows past the
city of Newchwang into the Gulf Of
Liaotung.
Like all the cities Of Manchuria,
Mukden is laid out on a regular plan,
resembling closely the plans Of Amer
lean cities The main street runs due
north and south, and the second best
street crosses it at right angles, while
parallel to these run series Of alleys
teeming with an industrious popula-
ton. Almost all the houses are one
story, the better class of them con-
structed Of gray brick, faced and cor
niced with slabs and tiles of the same
material, which in many instances are
beautifully carved. The uniformity of
the city's architecture tends to make
Mukden monotonous to the eye, but
this monotony Is relieved by the traf-
fic and hustle Of the city and the var
iety Of its shops.
Mukden is the chief market Of the
province, and the center Of a large dis
tributing trade All kinds of native
produce are poured into its ware
houses, and foreign. manufactures are
imported in large quantities. The
traveller has no difficulty in finding the
shops of dealers in Russian cloth,
Manchester goods, English cutlery and
Swiss watches, while fur shops full of
fine skins and fur garments are found
in great numbers.
The people Of Mukden are about
two fifths Manchu and three e-fifths
Chinese. They live on friendly terms
and are comparatively homogeneous.
They are taller, stronger, handsomer
and better examples of physical devel-
ment than the Cantonese. They eat
much more meat than the Cantonese,
and also use more intoxicants. 1t was
here, according to historians, that
civilization obtained the art of brew
ing koumyss. Quite large trade Is
done in dried and smoked meats in
this part of the empire.
The climate of Mukden is hot in the
summer and very cold in the winter.
At various seasons there are violent
standstorms which blind both man and
beast. The soil in the valleys Is very
fertile and supplies food enough for