The Detroit times., 1914-09-11
tung. which are supposed to be prizes
of extraordinary value.
vvonderfui csrm.n Achievement

Oh extraordinary Nhiue.
Wonderful German Achievement
Now II Is not likely that Germany,
being years behind her rivals IN prep.
arations for demanding share OF
the probable rich East Asian spoiis,
would waste much time In intrench,
ing herself I'm the field once she got
foothold, but II was not TO be expect
ed that she would do in such Few
years more than her competitors have
accomplished In half century or
more. But, accepting surface indica-
tons as strong evidence, this Is the
achievement which she has placed to
her credit.
The town of Tsingtau Is new. mir
aculously new, but IL Is built for time
and for withstanding the shocks OF
great events. while most casual Cd
servation OF its extravagances proves
beyond doubt that the kaiser's
treasury Is a few hundred millions
OF good German marks the poorer
for II.
While Kiaochow bay looks deep,
magnificent and trustworthy. II Is. as
a matter OF fact. a great, silt-choked
expanse Of sheltered water that has
had to be dredged and made navi-
gable I'm almost its emit q extent. The
inne, harbor OF Tsingtau Is wholly
artificial and II alone represents the
expenditure OF many millions. !
don't know how many, because all
the available statistics are so care
lessly grouped under comprehensive
headings that II is Impossible to Sc
cure details. But II really doesn't
matter. II is q splendid harbor any
way. and glorious bay, and one
cannot but think that II Is likely TO
be very valuable Chinese posses
sion one OF these days. unless Japan
finds IL too dificult to keep her prom
ise OF restoration; unless China, so
long threatened. Is really destined TO
permanent partition.
The cause may be atmospheric.
don't know, but everything In and
around Tsingtau looks as II II had
been designed for spectacular effect.
When our little German freighter
from the Yellow sea rounded the
outer promontory and turned into
Kiaochow bay the first thing TO
thrust itself before us was brilliant
lighthouse painted In red and white
stripes. standing out SO boldly In the
narrow passage that II might be re-
garded as warning shrek as well
as lighthouse.
| Then came the wonderful white
town on the rugged heights above the
shore. Steaming briskly along the
full length Of II. we soon found our
selves in the inner harbor. making
our way up to great granite pier
upon which the accustomed traveller
In the Far East must simply gaze In
open-eyed establishment The Ques-
ton which occurs to one Is:
"What did-what does Germany
expectr
| And there Is not only the one giant,
deep-water pier: there are several;
enough, In fact, to accommodate all
the vessels Of war and all the mer-
chant shipping that could ever, by
any chance. require pier space In
Tsingtau harbor, at one time: Across
q deep slipway. with enormous black
letters and figures painted upon its
cleaning white hull to announce its
splendid capacity, lies q great float.
ing drydock. large enough to receive
the heaviest dreadnough that ever
was launched. Round about, on three
close sheltering sides, lie the barren
brown hills. frowning, rock-ribbed
and gun-mounted.
Fifteen years Germany has worked
and spent her genius and her treasure
to create prize OF sufficient value
to satisfy Japan's once humbled
pride.
Going ashore at Tsingtau was as
different as anything could be from
going ashore at any other port In the
Far East. There all the joyful orien-
talism, the struggling, cursing, laugh
ing, bantering and bargaining natives
In their unhuman clothes and with
their creaking sampans and rafting
rickshaws had been repressed into
orderly array, dominated by the uni
form OF his imperial majesty OF Ger
many. The rickshaw coolies instead
Of tripping one up at the end Of the
gangway and then fighting out the
question Of rights over ones pros
trate form, which IL the dear and ac-
cepted manner of the east, stood In
an orderly row at respectful dis
lance waiting to be asked" called
to one OF them: Here! Rickshaw"
But he only looked pathetically help
less and made motions as much as to
say, "You come on over here |
didn't understand II then, and as l
made a difiicult way across the broad
pier with its network OF oily railway
tracks l said things intended only for
the ears OF that coolie. But he just
smiled and nodded In evident appre-
citation. undoubtedly thinking that !
was expressing opinions about Ger
man regulations In which he could
heartily concur. I was told that no
Chinese would stay In the German
territory II II were not for the TACT
that they were able TO command q
hundred per cent higher wages there
than anywhere else.
Leaving behind the amazing empty
harbor with It's prodigal prepare.
tons for great events, or extraordi-
nary commercial development, was
soon rolling smoothly along Q per
feet street which wound Its beauti'
fully-paved and granite-guttered way
around the bend OF the bay shore, up
long, gently sloping hillside, and
into the principal street OF the citJ
OF Tsingtau.
To say that an adequate descrip-
ton OF this town must consist In
series OF exclamation points Is
enough. II Is bit Of new Germany
transplanted from the Eatheriand
and transplated with an evident In
tention of impressing all beholders.
Almost every house Is man