Each general controls his own territory through military power alone. "His object is solely to enrich, himself, and he attains it by whatever means are at hand, He may. or may not be allied with the general bend of the river. The wi 1] in control at Chengtu, the capital anchorage for gunboats a of the province. It apparently merchantmen is along the shingle makes litle difference. Suffice it to bank opposite the city. The; say that each general is a law unto Standard Oil installation is well himself and is responsible clow the place, and the few, government. But one argument is missionaries live outside the city ultimately convincing insofar a9 and in the hills behind it, ly concerned. Negotiations are The Ascent of the Rapids right as far they go; money talks very loudly; personalities count con-The ascent of the rapids requires siderably; but force, actually or small, shallow draft, heavily power-potentially at hand, forms the de-steamers especially fitted with termining factor in' many an argu-sturdy steering gear and three or: ment. And as the turmoil in Sze-four rudders, The result is that chuan increases year by year, force! carg> must be transhipped at rapidly becoming the deciding chung to and from the lower river factor in clarhes with these lawless steamers, for none of them could operate above that point. It is equally prohibitive for any gunboats General Yang Sen to operate above Ichang other than And s0, after this lengthy but those especially constructed for this. necessary preamble, we come to uty. America has at present bat Yang Sen. two which can ascend the rapids, Considerably better educated than the Palos and the Monocacy. The the other Szechuanese generals, British had in September but three Yang Sen is a man ordinarily of which could perform thiy service outwardly pleasing personality, a with any degree of safety, the gentleman with many wives and an Widgeon and the Teal, practically overwhelming ego, an unreasonable sister ships of the Palos and the individual all the more annoying be-Monoeney, and the Cockchafer, a ensue of the politely plausible nature large river gunboat carrying one for his arguments. More than inch yun and cvailate year ago other Szechuanese generals.
only during high water combined against Yang Sen and The French have three drove him out of the province. upriver gunboats of which one, the However, negotiations last spring Doudart de Lagree, was at Wan-permitted him to return up-river, Hsien in September. The Japanese 1 and he established him headquarters have several available for this duty in May at Wanhsien. and the Italians one, In general foreigners hailed with About 60 merchantmen operate relief the return of Yang Sen. It above Ichang, this number consider-was felt that with his superior ably reduced during the low water season in winter. Of these 50 eats and his contact with occidentals he would behave in a steamers, one-fourth are American, fair and impartial manner toward one-third fly the British colours, and foreign shipping and that many of the remainder are under various the existing troubles and annoyanflags—French, Italian, Swedish, and ces would disappear with his advent Chinese in about the order named. upon the scene.
Fruitless Struggles in Szechuan Quite the contrary took place. OF all the annoying, lawless, per-Less than 100 miles above Ichang verse generals who have ever been is the eastern darder of Szechuan, in power at Wanhsien, Yang Sen a province as large as the state of proved to be the worst of the lot—Texas, mountainous, with fort unreasonable, exasperating, and valleys, a rich and populous state, a with an absolute disregard of treaty country in itself. Since the estab-ights and the lives and properties lishment of the Chinese Republic in of individual: 1911, this province has been the scene of one fruitless struggle after Shipping difficulties at Wanhsi 4 another, The military dominate it und along the river in that vicinity. entirely and for a decade have ruled began coincident with Yang Sen's it to suit their own ruthless tastes. return to Sacchuan. He assorted Since 1913, Szechuan has to all the right of search of foreign intents and' purposes been independ vessels, alleging that he feared that vent of Peking, and the central they were carrying arms, ammunion, government has never: been strong and military personnel to his actual, enough to subdue it and bring it to and potential, enomies further up terms. Thus it-is that for @ perted the Yangtze, American and Britich 1 Of sone years. continual: war -has, gunbots: at Wanhsien properly raged amongst the various generals. fused this demand, for. nothing, of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.