Osmrrma a few rare and distinguished men, we might without great injustice classify Chinese officials under two heads, those who like King Stork do mischief, and those who like King Log do nothing. The province of.. Chihlt after a long experience of the Storks now seems to be saddled with the Logs, For some mouths past the difficulties of maritime trade caused by an eccentric river and an intractable bar have been greatly enhanced by organised bands of river thieves. These men by official indifference or connivance have now become a menace not only to commerce but to life itself. Blackmail is) rigor tously levied and is enforced by the mutilation and (attempted) murder of those unwilling to pay it. The scenes daily witnessed on the wharf at Tangku are not. more remarkable for the arrogance and assurance of the dacoits than for the supine helplessness of the auth 3; indeed, taken together, they. strongly suggest col-lusian, Intimidation has been so perfected that a stevedore or native servant takes his life in his hand if he tries to stop a felony by warning his employers. Deck fittings and furuitare vanish like candles before a Calmuck and quite recently a clean sweep was made of all the lower cordage of a British ship; the piracy of the vessel herself seems to be the one thing necessary.to consummate thieving as a coarse art. King Log has, of course, been approached on the subject. Merchants, the Chamber of Commerce, shipping agents and Consuls have remonstrated, but his Majesty preserves an august calm and remains masterly inactive. The infamous tientsin rowdy, held well in check during Li's long administration—finely resolute in this respect—shows signs of rising to his ald pre-eminence in villarly. It needs no spirit of prophecy to point out that. this state of affairs there are, all the elements of a tragedy, and that the officials by their slavish fear are only piling up difficulties for themselves when the inevitable day of reckoning comes.
But, this evil, great as it is, is a mere trifle compared to that of the navigation. As our readers know the Peiho is a suicidal stream, ever trying to strangle itself by the steady deposit of loess silt on its navigable behaviour depends tha prosperity of tientsin, a great city with nearly a million people. The river is nat only the portal for the food supply of the capital, but practically the only outlet for the external trade of five Bfty millions. Hydraulic exports have ravinees with a population of over
no doubt that by a few short cuttings across the necks of the great bends, the navigation could be infinitely improved at a a small expense, This work of really national importance is allowed to lapse year after year because the funds and initiative are not forthcoming on. the part of the officials,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.