"The Pei-ho, of course," they exclaimed together. "And I suppose there is ever so much traffic on it?" Leonard said; "with no end of ships to be seen?"
"Yes, a good many may be seen there. I have a picture of boats on the River Pei-ho."
"What sort of flags do Chinese boats have, father? I do not see any hoisted here."
"The Imperial Navy is divided into river and sea-going vessels, the former consisting of 1,900 ships, the latter of 918; and there are 188,000 sailors. Ships in the Imperial Navy generally fly a flag at the main, on which red lines are drawn, or sometimes a tri-colour is hoisted there instead. Red would, I suppose, be for safety, as this is the 'lucky' colour of the Chinese. At the stern of the vessel I remember seeing the name of the official who directs and superintends the ship."
"Isn't Tientsin noted for something?" Sybil then asked.
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
"Yes; for the treaty of June 26th, 1858, between the Chinese and British, some of the terms of which were that the Christian religion should be protected by Chinese authorities, that British subjects should be allowed to travel in the country for pleasure or business, under passports issued by their consul, and that the Queen might acquire a building site at Peking."
"But now the religion, please, father," she said again.
"Very well; but you must pay great attention to what I say, or you will not understand. Most of the Chinese are either Confucianists, Buddhists, or Taouists, although there are also Jews and Mahometans amongst them. At one time it is supposed that the people of China had really a knowledge of the true God, and that when they worshipped, in much the same sort of manner as did the patriarchs, Him whom they call Wang-teen, or Shang-ti, which means Supreme Ruler, they worshipped God.