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"Wanhsien" - Wanxian (modern spelling) is approximately 1,250
miles up river from Shanghai and is located half way between Ichang and
Chungking.
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"Wanhsien - The "Beards" Team" - These are crew members
of the Falcon who were chosen for one team of an intra-ship football match
based solely on facial hair. (The Royal Navy permitted sailors during this
period to grow beards).
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"Wanhsien. View of the city from the Celestial City."
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"A (bucek?) loading gun at the Celestial City, Wanhsien." - At
first I thought I had misread the word "gun" on this caption,
but it is clearly spelt. As I read about the period I came across several
references stating the Chinese were initially unconcerned about British
ships as they were thought to be equipped with wooden guns (they must have
been sorely disappointed). I can only imagine that the Chinese perfected
some sort of wooden cannon and that this is an example.
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"Going home from the Celestial City. The river is in the background. Note the height of the (shore?)."
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"Our party half way down from the Celestial City. Wanhsien."
- The Falcon's crew on their way from the Celestial City. Note the height
of the party compared to the field below.
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"Wanhsien from the opposite side of the river. Falcon in the foreground."
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"Wanhsien from the opposite side of the river. Our ship is in the (White?) Bay at the bottom."
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