Evening star., 1909-09-05
Civilization

ready built many schools of modern arch.
itecture; and il has just completed large
office building for the Wal Wu Pu, or the
board of foreign affairs. This is the
best office building | have seen in east
ern Asia and is by far the finest of the
Chinese capital. 1t is right next to tho
old Tsung Lii Yamen. on the ground
where stood the old mint which was es-
tablished forty-two years before our world
was discovered and which was coming
money for the government up until the
year 1900.
The new building anu its grounds cover
seven acres: and the building itself one
fourth of an acre, not including the large
Offices for clerks at the back The Wal
Wa Pu is great structure Of two stories.
built of gray bricks. Its architecture -
entirely foreign and is remarkable for its
massive simplicity and beauty. Indeed.
it would be ornament among the pub
lie buildings of Washington or London.
The Wal WI Pu is heated by steam.
lighted by electricity. and has all mod
ern sanitary convenienceS. There are
a number of rooms for entertaining. In
Guiding large reception halls and a dining
room which viii seat 800 guests. The
dining room has a stage for theatrical
entertainments, and ii is lighted by l@b
electric globes hidden from view in
groove round the ceiling. The building
is beautifully finished, the mantles and
all its woodwork having been made IN
4
pine but most of the other materials,
including the steel construction, are from
England and Germany. The structure
cost 100000 taels. and II could not ba
built in the United States for twice that
many dollars.
The architect is Mr.. c. D. Jameson.
? we'll known American civil engineer.
He has been connected with the Chinese
foreign office as its architectural engineer
for a number of years. 1t was he who
put the electric light plant in the palaces
of the emperor and he has also made
some most beautiful additions 10 the
summer palaces outside Picking MI
jameson comes from Bangor, Ne. lie
was fer time professor Of engineer
ing at the Boston SCHOOL of Technology
and. later on. was connected in a similar
capacity with the Iowa State University.
He came out to China about thirteen
%ears ago and since then has done mucn
engineering and architectural work here
Tie Wal WI Pu is one of a large series
of buildings which China l. to erect in
the not distant future With the adop-
tion of the new civiliza ton. buildings ot
many kinds will have 10 be created LOT
the legislative, judicial and executive ma
cnInery necessary To carry on its various
departments. This is the biggest nation
on the face of the globe. and II VIII
eventually have army of clerks ana
officials Within eight years from now
China is to have parliament OF lis own
how this can be accommodated. One
idea is that the plans should be made
out on a broad scale. the erection Of
government departments and the parlfa-
ment buildings running through a series
of years, and eventually forming one
architectural and artistic whole It
might be well TO have the new capitol
the center. and the others grouped around
it. large space on the edge OF the city
being set aside for that purpose Ac-
cnr6inp IN hat al
the parliament houses may cost about
Si.HDnn in gold This would be Just
one million dollars more than the cost or
our National Library al Washington: and
with Chinese cheap labor. ii would mean
structures equal TO any that could be
constructed for fourteen or fifteen million
dollars i'll the United States.
FRANK q. CARPENTER.