The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

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THE BOY TKAVELLEKS.
CHAPTEE XXIV.
A VOYAGE UP THE YANG-TSE KIANG.
'T'^IIE plans of the Doctor included a jonrne}' up the great river, the
-*- Yaug-tse. There was abundant opportunity for the proposed voy-
age, as there were two lines of steamers making regular trips as far as
Plan-kow, about six hundred miles from Shanghai. One line was the prop-
erty of a Chinese company, and the other of an English one. The Chinese
company's boats were of American build, and formerly' belonged to an
American firm that had large business relations in the East. The business
of navigating the Yang-tse-kiang had been very profitable, and at one time
it was said that the boats had made money enough to sink them if it were
all put into silver and piled on their decks. But there was a decline when
an opprisition line came into the iield and caused a heavy reduction of
the prices for freight and passage. In the early days of steam navigation on
CANAL SCENE SOUTH OF 8HANUIIAI.