. A tour around the world by General Grant. Being a narrative of the incidents and events of his journey . ifficult to explain to a Chinaman the exactposition of General Grant. The republican idea is not easilytranslated into Oriental tongues. The Chinaman cannot con-ceive how one who had been a ruler of the nation should aban-don his post—or how a ruler, having been deposed by a nation,any one should care further about him. These were anomaliesunknown to the learned and wise in China, and since it becameknown that the General was coming, our consuls and diplomaticagents have been instructing
. A tour around the world by General Grant. Being a narrative of the incidents and events of his journey . ifficult to explain to a Chinaman the exactposition of General Grant. The republican idea is not easilytranslated into Oriental tongues. The Chinaman cannot con-ceive how one who had been a ruler of the nation should aban-don his post—or how a ruler, having been deposed by a nation,any one should care further about him. These were anomaliesunknown to the learned and wise in China, and since it becameknown that the General was coming, our consuls and diplomaticagents have been instructing the Chinese officials in the elemen-tary principles of republican government. But there was no disposition to dwell upon these points, forChina remembered that America had been invariably the friendof China; that while other nations had pressed her and spoiledher cities, America had been steadfast in friendship. Our firstwelcome was at the Bogue forts. These forts guard the en-trance to the narrow part of the river, and were the scenes ofactive fighting during the French and English wars with {633) 634 AROUND THE WORLD. As we approached the forts a line of Chinese gunboats weredrawn up, and on seeing the Ashuelot with the American flagat the fore, which denoted the presence of the General on board,each boat fired the Chinese salute of three guns. The Chinese,by a refinement of civilization which it would be well for Europeannations to imitate, have decreed that the salute for all persons,no matter what rank, shall be three guns. This saves powderand heartburnings, and those irritating questions of rank andprecedence which are the grief of naval and diplomatic Ashuelot returned these salutes, firing three guns, and aboat came alongside with mandarins in gala costume, whobrought the cards of the Viceroy, the Tartar general command-ing the forces and other dignitaries. Mr. Holcombe, who speaksChinese, received these mandarins and presented them to Gen-eral Gr
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Keywords: ., bookcentury180, bookdecade1870, booksubjectvoyagesaroundtheworld
