3-028-212 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Fighting the flames with primitive apparatus: a fire in Peking, 1909. A Chinese "Illustrated London News'': Pictorial Journalism As Practised In The Far East (Illustrations From A Chinese Paper), 1909. 'China has long had her newspapers (indeed, there was a Chinese newspaper published in London in 1876), but the illustrated newspaper is comparatively new to her. Even her "Illustrated London News," the "Sing K'I T'Ong Pao" ("Weekly Illustrated Review"), is in comparatively a rudimentary state, compared with its European contemporaries. It is said that there is considerable difficulty in the handling of illustrated newspapers in China, owing to the fact that the average Chinaman is interested in little that does not go on practically under his own eyes. There is also the question of transport to be considered. The paper, some of whose illustrations we reproduce, is published in Peking. It has but twelve thin sheets printed on one side only. It is written in the vulgar tongue in order that it may be popular'. From "Illustrated London News", 1909.