Directory_and_Chronicle_1885 — Page 481

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PEKING.

Peking may be roughly represented by a square placed upon an oblong, the former standing for the Tartar and the latter for the Chinese city. The whole of the capital is, of course, walled. The walls of the Tartar city are the strongest. They average 50 feet in height and 40 feet in width, and are buttressed at intervals of about sixty yards. The parapets are loop-holed and crenelated. They are faced on both sides with brick, the space between being filled with earth and concrete. Each of the gateways is surmounted by a three-storied pagoda. The walls of the Chinese city are about 30 feet in height, 25 feet thick at the base, and 15 feet wide on the terre plein. The total circumference of the walls round the two cities slightly exceeds twenty miles.

The

The Tartar city consists (Dr. Williams tells us) of three enclosures, one within the other, each surrounded by its own wall. The innermost, called Kin-ching or Prohibited City, contains the Imperial Palace and its surrounding buildings; the second is occupied by the several offices appertaining to the Government and by private residences of officials; while the outer consists of dwelling-houses, with shops in the chief avenues. The Chese city is the business portion of Peking, but it presents few features of interest to the sight-seer, while the enclosure known as the Prohibited City is, as its tit: denotes, forbidden to all foreign visitors. numerous temples, the walls, the Imperial Observatory, the Foreign Legations, and the curio shops are the chief attractions to the tourist. The streets of the Chinese metropolis are kept in a most dir graceful condition. In the dry season the pedestrian sinks deep in noxious dust, and in wet weather he is liable to be drowned in the torrents that rush along the thoroughfares, where the constant traffic has worn away the soil. There is an air of decay about Peking, which extends even to the finest of the temples. The population of Peking is not accurately known, but according to a Chinese estimate, which is probably slightly in excess, it is 1,800,000, of whom 900,000 reside in the Tartar and 400,000 in the Chinese city. There is no direct foreign trade with Peking, and the small foreign population is made up of the members of the various Legations, the Maritime Customs establishment, the professors at the College of Peking, and the missionary body. In August, 1884, it was brought into direct telegraphic communication with the rest of the world, by an overland line to Tientsin vid Tungchow.

Leg: tions.

DIRECTORY,

大英國欽差公署

Ta Ying-kuo Ch'in-ch'ai Kung-shu, BRITISH.

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni- poientiary-Sir Harry Smith Parkes, K.C.B., G.C.M.G.

Secretary of Legation-N. B. O'Conor 2nd Secretary—C. T. Maude

Do. --F. W. Stronge

Chinese Secretary-E. C. Baber (absent) Acting do. W. C. Hillier

Assistant Chinese Secretary-W. C. Hillier

Acting Assist, Chinese Secretary-C. W.

Everard

Accountant—A. E. Pirkis

Physician-S W. Bushell, M.D. Second Assistant-C. Lionel Hopkins

Do.

-J. R. Coulthard Chaplain-Rev. W. Brereton Studente-0. W. Campbell, W. B. Fitz.

gibbon, E. T. C. Werner, E. F. Bennett Colonial Cadets-F. H. May, T. Sercombe

Smith