Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-03-11
A LETTER FROM CHINA.
Mr.. and MRS. ". n. Howe Receive Letter
From Their Son Written at Singapore.

Last Saturday, Mr.. and Mrs. w. IL.
Howe of Riverdale, received q letter
from their son. Floyd, who is making
tour of the Orient. The letter was
written at Singapore. Mr.. Howe was
at the Grand Hotel de li'Europe IN that
city. We are permitted to take the fol-
lowing interesting items from the letter.
When left Shanghai, January 23rd.
the streets were covered with snow,
there was fire in my hotel room, and
the ship in the Yang TIE Kiang river
was hidden in snow. Her decks, masts,
ETC., looked like picture of Attic ships
frozen in, but eight days, about six days
stearning time, am in Singapore, only
90 miles from the equator. From hill
it could be seen if there was something
to mark it in the sea. Here the Euro
peans are wearing white suits, hats and
shoes, and are sitting under electric
fans. The Malay natives, Chinese, etc..
wear nothing but a loin cloth. Quite
a contrast frem the fur coats at Shang-
hal.
The other day read an article on the
effect of peace of mind and also OF
worry ON the health, but l never could
have believed it to be so important until
l had started on this trip. While in
business daily troubles and annoying
incidents used to test my self control
greatly and l averaged 135 or so in
weight. Now with no worry whatever,
but with good food, good rooms, COM
fort and rest, plenty of time to read,
ETC., feel the best l ever did in my
life and weigh l6S pounds.
1t is surprising to see how practically
all these foreign places have been
developed and chiefly by the British.
They seem to control matters in most
every place in the East. Shanghai,
Hong Kong, Singapore, Ragoor, India,
Chine, Egypt, Burma, Africa, Australia.
Tremendous territory, and wonderfully
rich territory. too, has been brought
under British control, certainly a
marvellous achievement. British mer-
chants, ships, men-of-war, flags and
British goods come into these ports by
the boat loads in exchange for the rich
ores, wool, silks, foods and other pro-
ducts of these countries. British wealth
must be increasing at great rate. We
who think of Great Britain as the
British Isles have no idea of the wealth
and the extent of her power either in
peace or war. With the wonderful
wealth and vast resources of many of
these countries, and with the apparent
certainty that U. S. A., will need them
as markets, / believe the future must
either see some alliance between Eng
land and America or else some sort of
severe warfare for supremacy.
Singapore probably has 5000 Euro
peans, almost all English, and about
800, 600 Malays, probably $4,000 Chinese,
many of whom have beautiful homes
and drive in fine motor cars. This is a
island owned by the British.
hil WIlOiilS III my ioOm WiiiSh 10
about 20 feet square. have big bed
covered with mosquito netting and
without even sheet to put over me.
Over my head is an electric fan six feet
across that runs all the time. An open
stair case leads out of the room to a low
room above, containing my private
toilet room. In this room is a big
Chinese stone urn, about five feet across
and two feet high, and this is my bath.
Rates here are $500 per day including
meals. At 1880 a. m. Chinese servant
boy enters my room with tea set,
bread and jam sandwiches and two
little sweet bananas. At 1880 he brings
hot water for my shave and little be-
fore eight another half naked servant
enters the little door above and looking
down the stair case yells out, "Mornin
Sirl" Bawth ready SIR" whereupon
the other boy takes out my shoes to
black them and arranges and brushes
my clothes.
| leave tomorrow for Rangoor and
may go up to Mandalay in Burma, so 1
may not reach Bombay from Calcutta
until about March 9th or 10th, but
shall be in Egypt by April Ist