fl)
Vol. xx.
Astoria, Oregon. Wednesday Morning, November 7, 1883.
No. 32.
CHINA'S MILITARY FORCES.
Hex Preparations 'or Attack and
Defense Both by Land
and Sea.
China has two separate armies.
The Imperial Army proper is
known under the name of jhe
Army of the Eight Banners. It
is divided into eight corps, each
being- distinguished by a peculiar
banner. This army almost forms
a military caste, lor it is composed
exclusively of the descendants of
the Mantchus, Mongolians and
Chinese rebels, who in oUOl in
vaded China and dethroned the old
Imperial family. During peace
the men of this caste arc allowed
to conduct any common business,
being forbiddoai only iolcavfc their
city without a permit from the
commanding officer. The officers
excel their men only in gymnas
tics. According to the Chinese
notions, no man is fit to be an offi
cer unless he is an athlete. This
army numbers 210,000 men; of
these over one-half arc stationed
in Peking, and the rest in a few
large provincial cities. This mili
tary caste can by no means be re
garded as a regular army.
The second or provincial army
is called the Army of the Great
Banner. Each of the eighteen
provinces of the empire is obliged
by law to keep -a certain number
of soldiers, and their aggregate,
according tothe official statistics,
is G50,000 men. There are eighty
generals and over 7,000 officers.
The provincial arnvy is composed
chiefly of mercenaries, while the
majority of the officers are of the
military estate. These two arm
ies, amounting to 760,000 men, are
all the force the Celestial Empire
has to rely on in cases of war.
The Imperial Guard, about 1S,
000 strong, is the flower of the
army. Or the Guard Infantry,
5,200 men, are provided with muzzle-loaders,
presented by the Czar
of Russia; the rest are armed
with flint guns, lances and shields.
Half of the cavalry, about 2,000
men, are armed with Chassepot
rifles. The artillery has thirt'
two bronze guus bought in Russia,
and a few mortars. There are
1,750 educated artillerymen.
The army of the Governor of
Ohjily. about S0,000 strong, is also
reorganized. The men are in
structed by English and French
officers. The army has breech
loading rifles and Krupp steel can
nons. According to German
writers, up to 1S79 Krupp had
sent to China 150 heavy guns, and
275 field guns. The army of the
Governor of Khan Zu and Shan
Zee, 40,000 strong, is said to be
supplied with all the mod
ern arms, and to be drilled
according to the principles of
Moltke and Manteuffel. This
arrav foujrht successfullv against
Yakoob Beg, and, indeed, proved
itself the best disciplined army in
China.
It is obvious, then, that in China
there are only about 120,000 men
armed and drilled, while the rest
of the soldiers can be regarded
only as undisciplined and unarmed
reserves. As to gunpowder and
arms, the Chinamen apparently
have an abundant supply of their
own. There are eight excellent
arsenals; directed chiefly by Eng
lishmen. The arsenal of Jian-Zin,
for instance, turns out daily 3000
pounds of powder. At the arsen
als of Nankin and Shanghai the
American guns of Remington and
Spencer are manufactured. At
the Futcheu-fu arsenal sub-marine
mines arc prepared. At the Lau
tcheu-su arsenal cartridges and
arms are manufactured.
China has three separate fleets.
The Canton fleet comprises twelve
gunboats, of which nine were made
in England, and are in charge of
English officers. The Fn-kiang
fleet is composed of six gunboats
and a few tradesport vessels; these
were made at Fu-tcheu under the
supervision of Frenchmen. This
fleet is in excellent order, and is
in charge of Chinamen. The
Shanghai fleet is composed of nine
gunboats, two frigates and several
transport vessels. All of thes
were made by the Chinamen
themselves, and are rather insig
nificant. Recently China has got
from England night iron clads,
armed with guns of the largest
calibre.
The strongest and most effect
ive part iA the Chinese fleet is
made up of thirteen small gun
boats, named after the letters of
the Greek alphabet, of 1,350 tons
displacement. They are built of
steel, and arc propelled by twin
screws driven by compound en
gines of, together, 2,600 indicated
horse -power. They each carry
two 2G-ton ami 10-inch hrccch
loading guns, mounted upon cen
ter pivots, one forward and one
aft. Each of these heavy guns
commands a nearly ull-around fire.
The charge of tlie gun is 180
pounds of powder, the weight of
the projectile 400 j)Ounds, and the
penetrative power equal to pierc
ing eighteen inches of solid, un
backed iron-plate. The' carry
besides in each four 40-pounder
breech-loading guns, two 9-pound-er
breech-loading guns, two Nor
denfelds and four Catlings, and
furthermore, two steam cutters fit
ted with spur torpedoes. The
vessels are also armed with a for
midable steel knife-edge spur or
ram. "Without claiming too much
for these vessels, says the Lon
don Times, it .should be remarked
of them that the penetrative power
and range of their guns, measured
by the accepted official standard,
exceed those of any gun yet afloat,
except, those of the English Inflex
ible and the Italian Tiuilio. No
unarmed ship that carries guns
can be compared for a moment with
them,. and no unarmed ship equals
them in speed. St. Jit-ir-tburfi
UazeM:
The Pablic Lauds.
The commissioner of the goner-
x land office, Hon. N. C. McFar-
land, in his annual report states
that the disposal of the public
land during the year embraced
19,983,789 acres, and the Indian
lands 399,235 acies, an increase
over 1 SS2 of about 5,000,000 acres,
The receipts from all sources in
connection with the disposal of
public lands were $11,0SS,479,
and from the sale of Indian lands,
-$622,404; tolU $11,713,833. The
public lands were disposed of as
follows: Public sales, 273,069
acres: private entries, 2,179,955
acres; pre-emption entries, 2,285,-
710 acres; mineral entries, 31,520
acres; homestead entries, S,171,-
914 acres: timber culture entries,
3,110,930 acres; entries with mili
tary bount'. land warrants, 45,414
acres; entries with land claim
scrip, 10,508 acres. Total num
ber of entries ami filings posted
during the 3Tear, 251,GS5, aggre
gating 30,000,000 acres. The in
crease in the number of claims
recorded in 1SS3 was 55,54S over
the year 1S82. The commissioner
states that he is satisfied that pre
emption filings are made or pro
cured to be made to a groat ex
tent for speculative purjoses.
He renews his recommendation
that the pre-emption law be re
pealed. The report recommends
an amendment to the homestead
laws requiring a period of not less
than six mouths elapse after
the settlement of a claim has
been placed on record be
fore final proof shall be ad
mitted, irrespective of the alleged
time of residence prior to the entry.
The commissioner states that the
commutation feature of the home
stead law is open to the same
abuses as the pre-emption law. Ke
urges that the homestead law be
amended so as to require proof of
actual residence and improvement
for a period of not less than two
years before a homestead entr'
may be commoted by cash pay
ments. The report further recom
mends the total repeal of the tim
ber culture law on account of its
inherent defects. The same ob
jection the commissioner finds in
the operation of the desert land
act, and he finds entries have been
largely made for speculative pur
poses with no other intention of
reclamation. The practical oper
ation of the law has" been to enable
land to be purchased in large
quantities, thus resulting in more
encouragement to monopoly than
encouragement to reclamation.
The report also says the timber
and stone land act is flagrantly
violated. "Information is in my
possession," the commissioner says,
"that much of the most valuable
timber land remaining in the pos
session of the government on the
Pacific coast is being taken up by
home and foreign capitalists
through the medium of entries
made by persons hired for that
purpose 1 have found it neces
sary to suspend all entries of this
class and direct an investigation."
The commissioner is of the opinion
that the timber lands should be re
served by law from ordinary dis
posal and sold only after appraise
ment and upon settled bids. He
recommends that congress make
legislation in relation to pri
vate land claims in New Mexico,
Colorado and Arizona, and recom
mends that a commissioner for
each of these territories be ap
pointed to examine and settle
these claims.
The construction of 1,210 miles
of laud grant railroads were re
ported during the year, making a
total of 17,449 miles of road re
ported as constructed under all
grants to June 30, 1883. The
question of declaring the forfeit
ure of these grants where rail
roads have not been constructed
in the official period of time is
deemed an appropriate one for
legislation.
The commissioner recommends
the passage of an act making false
and fraudulent returns of public
surveys punishable by line and
imprisonment. Much progress has
been made in the work of protect
ing the public lands and public
timber. The practice of fencing
public lands is condemned, and
the recommendation renewed that
an act be passed imposing penal
ties for this offence, and for pre
venting illegal settlement and en
try by force and intimidation.
The commissioner asks that his
salary be fixed at 85,000, and for a
moderate increase of the salaries
of the principal officials and clerks
in his department. The character
and responsibility of the office, to
gether with the fact that its busi
ness iias increased eighty-two per
cent since 3 SSI, appeals to the
commissioner to justify this re
quest. S. F. Jiullctin
mi
0
CI iv-f
111 1
Absolutely Fre,
This powder ne'or varies. A inarst-1 o
purity, strength :uid .wlulesomeness. Mora
economical than the ordinary kinds, and
cannot, bo sold in comnrtitio:i with the mul
titude of low test short weight, alum or
phosphate powders. Suldonluln cans. IIov
au Baking Powder Co.. ion Wall-st. N. Y.
the Blood
Is not a "cure all." It is a blood-mirificr and
tonic. Impart tyoftlie Mood iolsoiis the svs
tcm, deranges the circulation, and thus in
duces many disorders, known by different
names to distinguish them according to ef
fects, but being really branches or phases of
that great generic disorder. Impurity ox
ttlood. Such are Dyspepsia, liilUoumuts,
Liver OtmplainU Constipation, Ncrvoux Dis
order. Hcadaclie, Backache, General ireafc
nes. Heart Disease, Dropsy. Kidney DUecwe,
Piles, Rheumatism, Catatrh, Scrofula, Srfn
Disorders, Pimples. Ulcers. SweUlnas. tc.
&c. Kins of the Blood, prevents and
cures these by attacking the cause. Impurity
of the blood. Chemists and physicians acre
In calling it "the most genuiue and efficient
gists, SI per bottle. See testimonials, direc
tions, &c, In pamphlet, "Treatise on Disease;
preparation ior uie purpose." sold byurug
oi thn Wood," wrapped around cadi bottle.
Sing of
ma each bottl
)N&Co.,rror
Ralfalo, N. Y.
u. KATtaUM, SUN Co., Irons
BANKING ANDIHSUBAHCL
x. "sr. case.
BROKER, BAHKEB
A.VD-
INSURANCE AGENT
ASTOKIA, - - - OREGON
OPFICeIiOUIUS:
FKOM.9 O'CLOCK A. M. UNTIL 8
O'CLOCK P.M.
Hub IiMoal taraiiee Co.,
or California,
.1. V. ii ouch ion Pre-let
Cuas. U. droKr........... .Sectary
(J ho. I.. Stoky ...AjjmU IwrOuii
C-qrital paid H in U. S. goWi
coin x3 OW W
I. W. CASK, Agent,'
Otv.-ttcwus street. Astoria. Oregon.
867,000,000 CAPITAL.
LIVERPOOL AND LOON AND
GLOBE,
NOKTH BRITISH AND MERCAN
TILE OF LONDON AND
EDINBURGH.
OLD CONNECTICUT OF HART
FORD, AND
COjLSIERCIAL OF CALIFORNIA
FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES
Uoprcfentin a capital of S7,000,O30.
A. VAN DUSEN. Agent,
NORTHERN PACIFIC EXPRESS
Are Now Ready For Business.
irOftlce with Ilftzorth & .Toluis.
E. A. NOYES,
Agt.
& AltNDT & FERCHEN,
ASTOKIA. - OKEGOJC.
The Pioneer Machine Shop
8oiier Shop yf
All Kinds o
m&nmi caI webly,
A.VD
STEAMBOAT WOES
Promptly attended to.
A specially made of repairing
CANNERY DIES,
FOOT OF LAI' AY KITE STIIKET.
ASTORIA iRON WORKS.
Urnto:.' Stkkrt, Nrai: Pakkrh Housb,
astokia. - ojzkgon.
GEHERAL MACHINISTS AND
BOILER MAKERS.
L
BoiierWork, Steamboat Work
and Cannery Work a spe
cialty. Ofalt DcMrrijttioziff ataric to Order
at Short Xctlre.
A. I). VV.SI, President.
J. (1. IIcsTLHK.Sccretary.
I. W. Cask. Treasurer.
JOHN Fox.Suporintendent.
0. H, B
nrALKKs t
Doors. Windows, Biinds. Transoms
Fuming. Bracket Work.
1i
A siteeially, and all work guaranteed.
Oak. Ash, Bay, and Walnut lumber : Ou
gon and Tort Orford Cedar.
All kinds of boat material on hand.
C 31. JJA1X & CO.
Astoria Oil Works.
J. II. DEFORCE. Proprietor, P.O.Box SVt,
Astoria, Oreginu
.ISauufncturcr and l)r.i;r iu
FISH OIL and SKID GREASE.
Loggers will find my Skid Oreae to be
good anu cneap.
TAIXaOB.I355TG-,
Cleaning Repairing.
NEAT, CHEAP AND QUICK. BY
GEORGE I.OVETTt
Main Street, opposite X. Loch's.
A, MacBetli,
MERCHANT TAILOR,
No. A. First St, Portland. Oregon.
Clothing made at reasonable prices,
and satisfaction guaranteed.
BUSINESS CARDS.
Q IX. THtmsorv,
Attorney and Counselor at Law.
Boom No. fi, over "White House,
ASTOKIA, OREGON.
j
Attorney at Law, and Xotary
PuMIc.
Odd Fellow Building, Astoria, Oregon,
e. vr. vvvros. c. c. fuvtok.
Fuavrox bkotiiers.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW.
Booms 3 and O.Odd Fellows Building.
i.A. ISO'IYX.SSY.
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
Chewaimw treet, - - ASTORIA, OREGON
Q ES.jIrAC2I2tAX.
Attorney nlX.air.
Boom t. White House.
ATT'Y AT LAW.
Notary Public. Commissioner of Deeds for
California, New York and "Washington Ter
ritory. liooms 3 ami l. Odd Follows Building, As
toria. Oregon.
N.B.-Claims at Washington. D. 0., and
collections nspecialty.
Astoria Asent
Hamburg-Magdeburg
and German-American
TIKE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
NOTARY TUBLIC,
AUCTIONEER, COMMISSION ND IN
SUKANCE AGENT.
SURVEYOR OF
ristop County, anil City of Astoria
Otttee :-Cheuamus street, Y. M. C. A. hall
i;oomo.b.
JQIC. X. UO ATM AX.
Physician and Surgeon.
Kooms o and 10, Odd Fellows Building,
ASTORLV, OREGON.
JAY Tti'TTLE, 31. 1.
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Office Ttooms l. 2. and 3. Pythian Build-
leg.
lt!sUKN(iH-Ov-er J. E. Thomas Dtuz
Store.
1. 11 2 C CIS,
PENTIST,
ASTORIA.
OREGON
Rooms in Allen's bulldinc un stairs, comer
of Chss and Sfjemothe strct .
jqi:. .j. i:. i,nFOitc2:,
W13.VTIST,
Room tl.Odd Fellows Building, Astoria, Or.
Gas administered for nainlcss extraction
of teeth.
MUSIC.
PROF. T. T. IIEEK.
Graduate of Heidelberg University.
"Piano Tcaclicr.
GEHERAL STEAMSHIP AGENCY.
Bills of Exchange on any
Part oi Europe.
7 AM AGXNT FOR TIE FOLLOWING
JL wet: known and commodious steamship
MWS.
STATE LINE, RED STAR,
WHITE STAR.
HAMBURG-AMERICAN,
DOMINION LINE,
NATIONAL, and AMERICAN LINE.
Preimid tickets to or from any European
port.
l-or ihii miormaiion as to rates oi iare,
sailing days, etc, apply to
1. W.UAQE-
CHO. V. WIIEKLKi:.
W. T IWDB.
Notary I'uWle.
WHEELER & EOBB.
GENERAL
Eeal Estate I IwaiceApts.
We have very deslrahle property in As
toria and Upper Astoria for sale. Also, tine
farms throughout the county.
Accounts carefully adjusted and collec
tions made.
We represent the
Knyal, Xorwicli Union anil Jjanca
Mhirc Insurance CoV?.,
Wltii a combined capital Of S.1C,000,OCO.
THE
Travelers lafe anil Accident lnanr-
anre Co, oi iianioru, anuinejiHii
liattau litfu Insurance Co.,
of New York.
iv. r'ti for lln Tifilhi anil IVetkl'i
7arlhrcl A'eic, and the Oregon Vidette.
AH business entrusted to our care will re
ceive prompt attention.
ATTENTION SOLDIERS !
102.000,000 Appropriated iu
1S83 for Pensions.
AN ACT to relieve soldiers from the charge
nf iti.rtloii and crant all such soldiers their
full dues, and to grant soldiers marked as
DKSERTKKS nonorauie uiscnarge papers,
ax act to extend the arrears of the nen-
sion act and continue It in force so far as
widows and children are concerned. AN
ACT allowing pay for horses and equipments
lost in service, etc. Nearly every person is
entitled to an increase.
rensIonH, Bounties, nnd Claims
and PntentH attcnueuto.
For particulars call or address
C. J. CUKTIS.
Attorney and Counselor at Law, Solicitor of
Claims anu x-aieius.
Rooms 3 and 4 Odd Fellows building. As
torla, Oregon.
FURNISHED ROOMS TO LET.
AT MRS. GEO. ITILLER'S, NEXT DOOR
to Weston Hotel.
d but Never Follow !
ARL ADLER
Is herewith declared. From and after tho 1st o November all News
papers and Periodicals will bo sold at the 'following prices:
5 Cents Each.
Fireside Companion, N. Y. Weekly Ledger, Saturday Night,
Arm Chair, Family Story Paper, Boys of New York, Weeks Doings,
Texas Siftings, S. F. Chronicle, Call, Oregonian, News and Astoeian,
etc., etc.
8 Cts., 3 for 25 Cts., 13 for $1.00.
Police Gazette, Police News, Illustrated Times, Puck, Wasp, and
Judge, Harper's Bazaar and Weekly, Leslie's Weekly and Chimney
Corner, Argonaut, and many others.
I have printed tickets for those papers to make exact change.
Back numbers always on hand.
O COTl "fC Leslie's Popular Monthly,
AO UUlltd. young Ladies Journal, etc.
30 C8HtS. Harper's Monthly, etc.
Having made arrangements with all publishers I am enabled to
give the public a benefit of the above named reductions 1 have alsa
REDUCED the price for Subscriptions, which will be as follows:
Harper's Weekly, per year
Bazaar, "
" Monthly
All three for
Leslie's Weekly, per year
Leslie's Chimney Corner, per year
" Popular Monthly "
Fireside Companion .-
New York Ledger
Saturday Night '.
Family Story Paper
Arm "Chair." -
S. F. Argonant
Puck
And all others too numerous to mention at the same rates. Now is
your time to subscribe for the coming year. Remember Carl AcHar's
subscription .News Depot.
ABLER STILL HOLDS THE FORT !
Xsools at This I
AH the following line cloth bound Hooks gilt edge. Red Line edition, formerly $1.59 at
75 cents. POK3IS Itnlwer Lvtton. Camnhell. SDcncer. Hemans. Tennvson. Hood.
Moore, Jean Ingelow, Crahl). Fope, Shakespeare, fiotdsmlth, Chaucer. Coleridge, Lcil,
Dryccn. Macaulay, Scott, Sohlller. Milton. Keats. Kirk, White, Goss. Thompson, Herbert,
Ayton. Woodworth. Longfellow, Holmes. Eavard Taylor, Shelby, Kodgers, Barns, Coper,
and many, many more.
Fine line of Novels and Gift Books, rlchlv bound, formerlv S1J50 now onlv 75 oents.
Tom Brown's School Days, Tour of the AVorld, The Fur Country, Five "Weeks in a Ballooa,
Anderson's Fairy Tales, Arabian Nights. Young Crusoe, Tales from Shakespeare. Don
Quixote, Gem, Household Stories, Dick Rodney. Aesops Fables, Last Days of Pompeii,
-Robinson Crusoe. Rob Roy. The Midshipman. Daring Deeds. French Fancy Tales, Tha
i nvaieersman, xoung ioresier, reier me
LOW
Even article of my new. fine selected
AI.Li I'Oail'STlTIOX.
Rooks. Stationery, and Notions in endless
Castors, Cups, Tea Sets, etc., etel, willle sold
tl'...l,o.CT Plul-j nn.l Tnifnln. Vlulmr TCmc
PIANOS AND ORGAXS of the best makers very Iaw for Cash, or on Eay
Installments.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS of every description. Sheet Music and Music Instractara
of the latest publications, too new Music Books just received from the East.
fiSIYVQ f The finest assortment of Toys, "Wagons. Velocipedes, Baby Carriages,
JLV JLKj i etc., etc., can only be found at Adlers well Known Crystal Palace.
Enabled by many years of exDeriencc I succeeded in selecting a stock, of goods whlcii
will suit young and old.
T mean to do a square, honest business, giving full value for every dime received.
Polite clerks will be found In attendance and no trouble to show goods.
JTCEMJEJIBER I WIIiIi XOT UK U.VDEBSOLiD.
The Crystal Palace.
Garl Adler,
BOZOETH & JOHNS.
Real Estate and General Insurance
Agents.
ASTORIA,
Oregon.
WE WRITE POLICIES IN THE "WEST
ern. State Investment, namburg, Bre
men and North German Fire Insurance Com
panies, and represent the Travellers' Life
and Accident of Hartford, and the New
York Life, of N. Y.
We have the only complete set of township
maps In the county, and nave made arrange
ments to receive applications, filings, and
final proofs on Homesteads, Preemptions,
Timber Lands, etc., having all the official
blanks therefor. Our maps can be exam
ined In the office, upon the payment of a
reasonable fee.
"We also have for sale city property in As
toria and additions, and farms and tide land
property.
Rents, and other collections made, and
loans negotiated.
BOZORTH & JOHNS.
For Sale.
FIVE HUNDRED CORDS DRY HEM
lock Wood, which I will deliver at the
houses of customers for $4 a cord.
Drayingor all kinds done at reasonable
rates. JL R. MARION.
alace!
LUTION!!
$3.75
not $409
4.09
3.75
8.50
10.00
3.75
3.75
2.85
2.75
2.75
2.75
2.75
2.75
3.75
4.50
4.0
12.09
4.0i
4.09
3.09
3.09
3.09
S.0
3.09
3.09
4.09
5.09
wiiaier, anu nunareas more.
MOSS.
stock will be sold at prices that will BEFIT
variety. A flue display of Gold and Silver
cheaper than 'anywhere else.
CI1 vura-ili-o act TTnlvoo Xfnrl-a ntirl Qnania
Proprietor.
STONE & DAYIDSOH
COMMISSION MERCHANTS.
Dealers In
LTIMBEE,
HAY,
GBAD3T,
POTATOES,
AND
COUiNTRY PRODUCE.
Advances made on Consignments.