4
with yellow silken embroideries. It was, however, more closely hemmed in by screens, and the general effect was, perhaps designedly, of a considerably less imposing nature than that produced in the case of the Empress.
On the other hand, the view from the Empress Dowager's hall was not to be compared with the sight presented by the courtyard through which one had to pass on leaving the chamber where the Emperor lay. In the magnificent expanse stretching in front of the audience hall was no room for anything of a period later than the Middle Ages. The bright autumn sunshine played gaily on a seething crowd of such retainers as Kublai Khan must have gathered round him in his brilliant Court. Bowmen, halberdiers, spearmen, bannermen, braves with curved scimitars stood in stolid ranks amidst the swarms of white-robed officials and eunuchs, while pennants fluttered and State umbrellas swayed in a bewildering confusion of colour. Such a scene must Marco Polo often have witnessed when he visited the Imperial capital in the zenith of her glory, 600 years before the inroads of Western ideas had made of the Chinese soldier the uncouth figure he too often now presents, clad in his semi-European uniform, and armed with a more or less obsolete rifle. Should the spirit of reform attributed to the new régime sweep away these picturesque survivals of bygone days, the loss will be one which the world can ill afford to bear, and all the skill of the modern designer of pageants would not suffice to recall anything but the mere shadow of this last link with the medieval past.
(Signed) WILLIAM SEEDS.
Office or Individual.
Foreign
1908
14 Dec.
Last previous Paper.
783
HONG KONG
No 47761
(Subject.)
h.c
723
DOMESTIC.
47761
REC 29 DEC 08
Registration of steam vessels placing on vessels in inland Waters
Kings Reply, copy enclosed, are working well
by writ now become permanent
в.о.
17887
(Minutes.)
Mr...
I have...
send letter
CA...
2-124786
of this with auto (to be taken...
paper to for RF cap!
mys to deap
Mn
20478-
RI sile
alovce
6
7
15005-W. 8. Ltd.--20892-
$5000-11-7.
26912-W. 8. L.-951- 35000-11.07.
Next subsequent Paper.
4
with yellow silken embroideries. It was, however, more closely hemmed in by screens, and the general effect was, perhaps designedly, of a considerably loss imposing nature than that produced in the case of the Empress.
On the other hand, the view from the Empress Dowager's hall was not to be compared with the sight presented by the courtyard through which one had to pass on leaving the chamber where the Emperor lay. In the magnificent expanse stretching in front of the audience hall was no room for anything of a period later than the Middle Ages. The bright autumn sunshine played gaily on a seething crowd of such retainers as Kublai Khan must have gathered round him in his brilliant Court. Bowmen, halberdiers, spearmen, bannermen, braves with curved scimitars stood in stolid ranks amidst the swarms of white-robed officials and eunuchs, while pennants fluttered and State umbrellas swayed in a bewildering confusion of colour. Such a scene must Marco Polo often have witnessed when he visited the Imperial capital in the zenith of her glory, 600 years before the inroads of Western ideas had made of the Chinese soldier the uncouth figure he too often now presents, clad in his semi-European uniform, and armed with a more or less obsolete rifle. Should the spirit of reform attributed to the new régime sweep away these picturesque survivals of bygone days, the loss will be one which the world can ill afford to bear, and all the skill of the modern designer of pageants would not suffice to recall anything but the mere shadow of this last link with the medieval past.
(Signed) WILLIAM SEEDS.
Office or Individual.
Voreign
1908
14 Dec.
Lust previous Paper.
783
HONG KONG
No 47761
(Subject.)
h.c
723
DOMESTIC.
47761
REC 29 DEC 08
Registration of steam recasts placing on
vessels
diland Waters
Kings Repas, copy enclosed, are working well
y writ now become permanent
в.о.
17887
(Minutes.)
Mr
I hav
send letter
CAɅ
2-124786
of this with auto (.to be takend
paper to for RF cap!
mys to deap
Mn
20478-
RI sile
alovce
6
7
15005-W. 8. Ltd.--20892-
$5000-11-7.
26912-W. 8. L.-951- 35000-11.07.
Next subsequent Paper.
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