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Account of the Mantchous at Chápu.
AUG.
boa, or mang, pourtrayed in golden hues upon it in close resem- blance to the lang, dragon, the imperial emblem among the Chinese. In like manner every ten men had a banner of the same device, but of smaller dimensions. And thus a very efficient method was adopt- ed for inarshaling the troops, and putting them into a condition to receive an assault without noise and loss of time.
Not the least interesting part of the Chápú garrison was the navy. This navy consisted in conformity with an edict of Kienlung's, of nine large and nine small cruizers and four others under a different deno- nination. To cruizers of the first class, six marines were appointed; to cruizers of the second class, five; and to cruizers of the third class four. Some time after, the four cruizers of the last class were ex- changed for long boats, provided with sixteen marines each and five officers to act as helsmmen, mates, &c., while the numerical force of cach of the other crews was augmented by one. Officers were nomi- nated from time to time to drill these men, that they might be expert in their duty. Subsequently other reforms took place, the number of vessels was reduced to ten, each having twenty-five marines. The entire number of marines was 400, which added to the two encamp- ments made the whole garrison 2000 fighting men. These marines were marshaled under the green flag.
In the time of Kienlung 100 soldiers were chosen to look after the orphans, widows, and such as had no means of support. Thus chari- table considerations found a place in the bosom of the emperor to- wards the poor and the needy of his father-land.
In the latter part of the work the pay of the different officers is carefully tabulated, and descends in a graduated scale of adjustment from that of the five highest officers to the marine, who received near- ly three dollars per month in money, and a ration of rice sufficient to maintain himself and his family. All the officers as well as men received their salaries in rice as well as in money, but were allowed to exchange their rice for cash if they thought proper. This was a convenient arrangement as it enabled the superior officers, who receiv- ed much more than was necessary for the support of their households, to turn their superabundance into money in times of plenty, and in a season of scarcity to realize more than enough without feeling the pressure of hardship. Tablets prepared of a hard wood and written in the Mantchou character were among the prettiest things we found at Chápú. These tablets were given to divisions of men whose divi- sion in virtue of them were allowed to draw their salaries from month to month The smooth finish of the wood and the beauty of the
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