Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-11
|CHANG NOW BASE
FOR j. S. GUNBOATS
Chinese City, 1000 Miles Up
Yangtze River, Headquar-
tiers for Unique Patrol.

Ichang, China. 1000 miles up the
pal bases for the six new gunboats of
Uncle Sans Yangtze patrol that are
just going into commission.
THE boats of this f1otilla of the
Navy, situated half around the world
from the United States, will probably
never anchor in a port of the land
whose flag they fly" says a bulletin
from the National Geographic Society.
They were built in Shanghai; are of
shallow draft suitable only for river
uses; and will probably wear out as
their predecessors of the Yangtze River
have, in service on China's greatest
river.
Compared to Mississippi River.
eff the political and economic con-
ditions were completely reversed" con-
tinues the bulletin, lone could under
stand the relations of the YangtZe
cities and the Yankee gunboats to the
sea by substituting the Mississippi River
for the Yangtze, and by imagining
f1otilia of Chinese gunboats plying the
Father Of Waters. New orleans would
stand approximately in the place of
Shanghai the great doorway city to the
river. Memphis would represent Han
hOW, IluSe ulUuStIldl CeIItI, Willie 81.
Louis would stand about as far from
the sea as does Ichang.
Continuing up the Missouri River
one would find Kansas City about in
the relative position of Chungking,
while Omaha, $500 miles from the sea,
would stand for Suifu, an equal dis
lance from the mouth of the YangtZe.
In the imaginary American Yangtze,
the visiting Chinese gunboats would
look to st. Louis Uchang) as their
chief base, but would spend most of
their time patrolling the river above
that point, ascending. during high
water, as far as Omaha (SuifW.
Gorge Adds to City's Importance.
"Ichang will be, as in the past, one
Of the most used bases for the boats
of the patrol. The city maintains its
commercial Importance on the river be-
cause of the great Yangtze GorgeS that
extend from just above the city for
distance of more than 1875 miles. Above
the gorges the great river flows through
ChinaS richest province, Szechwan, a
region teeming with people, producing
much material for shipment and de-
manding great quantities OF the prod
ucts of the outside world.
mo railroads tap SzechWan, all It's
exports and imports must move along
the YangtZe, and because of the rapids
in the gorges, Ichang takes toll from
all this busy river traffic. For Ichang
is head of navigation for good sized
river steamers. Every bale and pack
age of freight for Szechwan must be
unloaded at Ichang and transferred to
small. specially constructed steamers or
to junks for transport through the
gorgeS.
Trade Highway for Years.
"F'or ages the YangtZe has been the
trade highway into Szechwan, and I'M
til 1901 all traffic was carried on In
iunks, laboriously hauled up the rapids
by crackers who walked along the Slip
perry rocks and tugged at great hawsers.
Even in those days Ichang was i'm
portant as. the gateway to the gorges.
In 1901 steam first began to compete
with the junk men. Specially built,
small, light-wraft boats, fitted with
powerful steam engines. were put into
commission. Such steamers are now
operated through the gorges by British.
American, japanese and other foreign
countries; but the junks are still in
operation, too. Since the advent OF the
gorge steamers Ichang has grown from
10000 to $1,000 in population.
1.-THE little city seems to be perched
high on bluff during the low water OF
the Winter months, but when the great
river is in Summer flood, city and
stream are on nearly the same level.
At times parts of the city have been
flooded.
although 1000 miles inland. Ichang