New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-19
Tze Career of an English Soldier
of Fortune IN China.

TrSlnsec - tbe First Chinese Arsenal. for
Thirty Thirty. fferation in London BY Demetrius c.
SSa1ieeT with FoTeword by Sir James
srlc- ~. xiii SIS. John Lane Company.
x,biect Of this memoir was of Scotch
soscent. and was abundantly supplied with
IS- .-sv persistency and high purpose which
De .-o,,qht success and worldly honors TO SO
% his countryrnen- Born IN 1888. he was
DS-- sz,rsl student IN the Edinburgh University,
az the outbreak Of the Crimean war a
---,sn+ officer visited the university with
k---,,esson 10 form the medical staff OF the
a,rlo-Turkish contingent then being or
- The youthful Mccartney had not yet
t-,,,-ed his degree when he was appointed as
- surgeon end assumed the Queens uni
Eis Crimean experience did not include
contact with warfare, but Il settled his
- s,f IS soon SIS circumstances permitted
.o-,nIetion OF his studies he Joined, as third
~,..,,+ surgeon. the LAnarkshire regiment
- orders for India This was in 1853, and
=. --sat rnutiny having been put down there
l,.tle active work for the regiment so that
- +-.nseer at the end OF the year 10 China was
lid with delight for in China great deeds
were pending
rvas g. period OF warfare, Of friction and IN
-, China emphasized her aversion to
p
--.ssrtatives. and England retaliated by
---,snz the summer palace Just why bar
.--o,s set Of vandalism was needed TO demon
-, - che heather the superior advantages
!. ra--5s+fsr civilization has never been made
-. bnt the event doubtless had its effect on
=, ,.,,,+,,f,,I Mccartney who witnessed it. An
,tso,- Of this period may be mentioned, not
.,co,rnt Of any special significance, but as
,r.--+-.+ine The courage and determination OF a
- nan who had TO carve out his own career
.. .ha vrorld. With & fellow officer Mccartney
Entered g court Of justice in Canton. at which
6 trial was II progress Says his biographer:
A mandarin. the Judge. was sitting at table and
two secretaries were also seated there Wrltlng
80, +1e5- notes On the table was a large saucer
s1e5 with indian ink. into which the scrlbes dipped
their pencils The courI was nlIeo Win PeOtte 80
~ re officers 50 that they occupied q prominent
pL1oe -Sa- +-3af V-ss being examined and either
secIoe6 10 answer the questions put 10 him or oio
81 IN a manner unsatisfactory TO the judge Sud
so-I- +ba iudge made q sign. uttered some
vo-ds the purDort Of which was not inteIlgipie
20 either Mccartney or his friend, but the gaolers
meant and proceeded 20 action Immediately De
hind the prisoner the yarnen r3of was supporlss
81 hv pillars. and Il was seen that ropes passed
through holes in them hung DOWN IooseIy 10 tae
-1e-+iore5 promptly threw themselves on the
prisoner and attached these cords 10 his wrists
snS 81 Sooner was he attached than men at the
ether side OF the pillars pulled the ropes and he
The snectsI cr7ieItv OF the proceeding was that
fs T with the intention Of continuing the
sf-sin until the leg below the knee had been
;re proceeded the cracking of the unfortunate
mans bones could be heard throughout the court
Bur the punishment had not gone very far when
Macsrtney losing all control over himself. rushed
Up 10 The taole a. Whlch me Inanoarlan was
brought i down witt q crash on the table, smash
ing II and spistterng its contents the aston
isbed judge and his secretaries
This unconventional proceeding led to an in
ouiry, which resulted IN the Incarceration Of the
mandarin, and, lawless as it was, seems some
how more in consonance with Western ideas
Of retribution than the destruction OF priceless
monuments o. art.
The exhilaration Of life Of adventure con-
WINGED Mccartney that he had qualifications for
success in more strenuous sphere than his pro-
feSsion afforded, and so upon due elaboration
and e careful computation Of the chances. in
lS62. being little short Of thirty years Of age,
he resigned from the British army and adopted
he rather precarious role Of a soldier OF fort
une II the service Of China His engagement
RsIed in various capacities for practically the
whole OF his life. and during upward Of forty
years he served the Oriental empire without de-
tachllg himself in spirit or IN sympathy from
lie land Of his birth. His ambition was through
knowledge OF their difficult tongue. TO acquire
NE position and influence among the Chinese
uai early Catholic missionaries had possessed,
&no without thought Of q possible return TO Eu-
rope ne burned his bridges behind him and pro-
oeeaed 10 qualify himself for his ufe's work,
even 10 the point of taking unto himself
enaese wife The lady IN question was Of high
1ank- person OF good appearance and intelli-
eeace, who followed the Chinese custom OF liv-
~ --- lie
Lon OF the ex-surgeon was now rather expectant
'nan established He was even considered for
ms command q the Ever Victorious Army. a
special body formed for the suppression Of the
-aepang rebellion, but that charge was more
suitably bestowed upon General Gordon-Chin-
% GORDON, as he was long known-and the
Vlaer devoted himself with great energy 10 the
establishment o. an arsenal He became In eff
Il Tie right-hand man Of the F'utai Ii Hung
Nang' and his labors were summarized by Cen
"a Gordon in the words: Mccartney drilled
1'ops supervised the manufacture OF shells,
ta'e advice, frightened the FutaPs intellect
~00Ot foreigners and made peace, in which last
accomplishment his forte lay
Mccartney had the faculty Of making himself
1sS1u TO others besides Ii Hung Chang His
-sAoas 70 Tseng, the most powerful man in
a3~ who named al the viceroys, were init
ss and cordial. and among his treasures was
Illuminated scroll IN which Tseng paid him
0O1e1e compliment: Your writings are. in
pe. vast II Tire extreme For discursiveness
- may be lkened 10 the alternating waves
ne sea" The Marquis Tseng, later Ambas-
s'-0f TO Great Britain. son Of the aforemen-
- was also his devoted patron, and did
- 70 promote his fortunes. But gratitude
sei-interest and appreciation Of individuals
10 49,
among whom he earned his bread, and
=, zen years residence, upon visiting the
- " Confucius. he wrote TO friend: ut