s for two
regiments of Indian infantry and several companies of Indian artillery,
with many fine quarters for European officers. The city in recent years
has become a favorite residence place for Hongkong business men, as it
is reached in a few minutes by a good ferry. Near by are the great naval
docks at Hunghom, extensive cement works and the deepest railway cut in
the world, the material being used to fill in the bay of Hunghom.

A VISIT TO CANTON IN DAYS OF WILD PANIC

Every traveler who has seen the Orient will tell you not to miss Canton,
the greatest business center of China, the most remarkable city of the
empire, and among the most interesting cities of the world. It is only a
little over eighty miles from Hongkong, and if one wishes to save time
it may be reached by a night boat.

While in Manila I heard very disturbing reports of rioting in Canton and
possible bloodshed in the contest between the Manchus in control of the
army and the revolutionists. This rioting followed the assassination of
the Tartar general, who was blown up, with a score of his bodyguard, as
he was formally entering the city by the main south gate. When Hongkong
was reached these rumors of trouble became more persistent, and they
were given point by the arrival every day by boat and train of thousands
of refugees from Canton. Every day the bulletin boards in the Chinese
quarter contained dispatches from Canton, around which a swarm of
excited coolies gathered and discussed the news. One night came the news
that the Viceroy had acknowledged the revolutionists and had agreed to
surrender on the following day. This report was received with great
enthusiasm, and hundreds of dollars' worth of firecrackers were burned
to celebrate the success of the new national movement.

That night I left Hongkong on the Quong Si, one of the Chinese boats
that ply between Hongkong and Canton, under the British flag. A
half-dozen American tourists were also on the boat, including several
ladies.

The trip up the estuary of the Pearl river that leads to Canton was made
without incident, and the boat anchored in the river opposite the
Shameen or foreign concession early in the morning, but the passengers
remained on board until about eight-thirty o'clock. The reports that
came from the shore were not reassuring. Guides who came out in sampans
said that there was only a forlorn hope of getting into the walled city,
as nearly all the gates had been closed