from their own naval and shipbuilding yards. A gunboat had been launched from the patent slip a few days previous to our visit, and the sister vessel was already on the stocks.
Proceeding on board the former, we are received by the Chinese captain and his lieutenant, with great courtesy, and conducted all over the ship. This a nautical friend present pronounced to be an honest, solid, masterly piece of work throughout. The woodwork of the cabin is simply varnished, and relieved with narrow gold mouldings. The officers' cabin and mess-room are finished in the same unpretending and yet not inelegant style; and in the sailors' quarters we notice that each seaman is supplied with a strong teak bunker to hold his effects and to serve him also instead of a couch or chair. This gun-vessel carries one huge Armstrong gun on her upper deck, and is to be fitted with the same weapons throughout. Her armament, therefore, will render her a formidable enemy to pirates, though not perhaps of much service in a combat with any European power.
Our next visit is to a vessel in commission lying off the arsenal, and manned throughout, from captain to cabin-boy, by an entirely Chinese crew. Stepping on deck from the gangway, we are saluted in military style by a Ningpo marine, who in- forms us in tolerable English that we shall find the captain in his cabin. The dress of this marine is admirable, consisting of a black turban, blue blouse, pantaloons with red stripe, and a pair of neat and strongly made native shoes. A well-kept belt fastens in the blouse at the waist and supports also a cartouche- box and side-arms. An officer of marines next welcomes us on board, and says, ** S'pose you likee my can show you my drill pidjin," an offer which we gladly accept. "My hab got two squab, one too muchee new, other olo, can saby drill pidjin."
