Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-13

had some liugeflug euspicioa that dur:
 ing the occupation of Peking by tho
 troops of all nations somebody did a
 good deal of unlawful yrsb sbbing. The
 palace custodians have been greatly
 worried in pondering over all these
 questions, not only because they have patriotic pride in saving their em- peror's jewels, but also because they have not unnatural desire to save their own heads, which would cer. tainly be removed if any of the jewels intrusted to their care were missing. x
 Itsis believed that everything in the palace has been safely taken away and that all the jewels and more valuable articles in the palace collection have been snugly stored in Peking.
 After the retreating Russian army had. left Liaoyang there came reports of how the Japanese shells fell into the walled city and how several fires were started. It is known that as the Russians went out Chinese robbers helped themselves to whatever they wanted and that as they finished tho Japanese advance guard came in and drove them away and then went to footing with great enthusiasm. While 1t is said that the Japanese confined their depredations chiefly to chickens, eggs and everything that could by any method be classified as food and did not take jewels or jade ornaments, the crafty mandarins of the palace be- lieved that this may have been be- cause there were no jewels or jade or naments in Liaoyang and that if the invaders found themselves standing in the great purple palace of the Manchus, surrounded by pearl necklaces and diamond studded saddles, they might turn their attention from chickens and eggs to things of greater value.
 So 1t is said that forty carts squeak ed out of the palace grounds some time ago under the escort of heavy guard of soldiers and left the city in the di- rection of Sinmintin. In these wagons doubtless were slowed away the price, less heirlooms and jewels of the Man. chus
 Anyhow, it was mean trick to play on the hardworking chunchuses.
 The veneration of the Chinese for Mukden can perhaps hardly be real tzef by occidental peoples, says the New York Times. The feeling of the English for Westminster abbey, of the Italians for Rome, may serve to give an idea of it. But in the far east the veneration for the past, as expressed in the worship of ancestors, is actually an important part of religious belief, and for this reason Mukden is the most sacred city in the whole great Chinese empire. It was at Mukden that in the year 1895 Nurhachu, the famous found CT of that dynasty, established himself. It was there that the ancestors of the Manchu emperors were buried.
 Four miles east of the city is the tomb of the founder of the Manchu dynasty, Nurhachu. The sepulcher itself forms a great mound built up over the coffin. In front of this stands fu- neral hall, the whole being surrounded by high wall pierced by one grand gateway, which holds three arched DOT tals. The avenue of approach is span ned by two lofty and elaborate arches of carved stone, the bases of their col umns resting on carved likenesses of frogs. .. 1; if as..t- 'oMukden islands in the middle of,a great alluvial plain about 320 feet above the level of the sea. All the soil around it is rich and highly cultivated. It is reputed to have had population of 100000 chiefly Chinese. The houses. both those of the Chinese mandarins and merchants and those of new Rus sian construction. are built on mag nif1cent scale.