Preface On February 10, 1914, the Beiyang government and the United States signed the "Contract for the Sino-US Joint Venture of Oil Company", which agreed that the "Mineral Survey Team of the National Kerosene Mine Matters" would be formed by Mobil Petroleum Company to conduct g

Introduction

On February 10, 1914, Beiyang government signed a "China-US Joint Venture Establishment Contract" with Mobil Petroleum Company, agreeing that Mobil Petroleum Company will send experts to form the " to prepare for the National Kerosene Mine Matters Office Kan Mine Survey Team ", and go to Yan'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province and Chengde Prefecture, Zhili Province for geological exploration and drilling.

American geologist Frederick G. Clapp, an expert hired by Mobil Petroleum Company, arrived in Beijing in December 1913. In late February of the following year, he went to Qinhuangdao, and then transferred to Jianchang, Zhili (now Lingyuan, Liaoning) for investigation. He concluded that oil has no value for exploitation. After returning to Beijing, China and the United States agreed to go to Shaanxi for exploration, which was divided into two routes. The first route was led by Ma Dongchen (the Chinese name of Clap) and departed from Beijing, through Zhangjiakou and Huaian in Zhili, and then from Shanxi, Kualan, Yanggao, Tianzhen, Yingzhou, Ningwu and other places to enter Shaanxi, and finally went to Wuhan through Henan, and then took a boat to Shanghai and then returned to Tianjin.

During Krapp's inspection in China, in addition to taking photos of mountains and rivers, his extremely high-definition camera also left precious scenery and cultural moments for China a hundred years ago. Pictures and Travels China.com Toutiao ID After completing the Chinese tour series of Zhang Berlin and Boschmann, he devoted himself to studying the photos left by Krapp, and still analyzed and interpreted them according to time and region, and shared them with readers and friends who love history.

1. Routes in Shaanxi

According to the content of the "Provision of Protecting the National Kerosene Mine Matters Office to Shanxi on May 25, 1914, Shanxi Province's "Provisions on the Provision of the National Kerosene Mine Matters Selected Huayang Exploration Mine Factory Personnel to the Country to Protect the Country", it mentioned that the explorers had set out within the day and required protection from the places along the way. Krapp mentioned in his recollection that they arrived in Shenmu County on June 17.

2. photos in Fugu

. After the expedition team where Klap was located left Baode, Shanxi, crossed the Yellow River to enter Fugu County, Shaanxi Province on the other side. This is the scenery of Fugu County that they took near the dock after they got ashore in Fugu County, Fugu County, Klap took the scene of Fugu County near the dock. The guards who accompanied him rode a white horse and were in front of the archway leading to the county town with two other members.

zoomed in and looked closely. The city wall was clearly visible on the top of the mountain in the upper left corner. The archway should be the gate to the county town. Due to the strong light, the first two words of the plaque were identified as "Qin and Jin". A man wearing a white turban happened to be passing by at the lower left of the archway.

On the right side of the first picture, you can see the rugged shore wall, which is a rugged stone road leading to the city gate tower in front. A young man is running, and there is also a lookout at the height of the cliff. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

. In Fugu County, the local government, which had already received instructions, has arranged soldiers to guard the troops to ensure the safety of the expedition team in Fugu County. Krapp took this photo of the soldiers who were welcomed by Fugu County. They stood under the cliff, straight. Clap thought these two counties across the Yellow River were more prosperous, but the rugged mountain road reminded him of the same landform as West Virginia, the United States.

3. Photos of Shenmu

. Leaving Fugu County, the expedition team headed west to Shenmu County. He mentioned that the scenery along the way was relatively desolate and sparsely populated, and it was often difficult to see people for a day. This was the three-day itinerary that Klap had taken to see the Great Wall after entering Shaanxi. He specifically mentioned that this day was June 17, 1914.

enlarge the photo. The beacon tower standing tall by the river is the ruins of the Great Wall that Clap saw. Because in addition to exploring oil in China, Clap has great interest in the ancient Great Wall in China. Many of his inspection routes are along the Great Wall. He annotated the river in the film as Piu-chang Ho.

. The expedition team set out from Shenmu County and headed to Yulin Prefecture along the side wall of the Great Wall. On the way, they passed Gaojiabao, Shenmu County. On the high slope cut by the river, there were many Great Wall piers. This place has been a military important place that confronted Xiongnu since the Han Dynasty.

enlarge the photo. The building at the bottom of the pier has not seen much weathering, it is very majestic and magnificent. There is a stone tower in front of the platform, which is already crooked.

. Klap entered the ruins of Gaojiabao Great Wall. He took photos of the dilapidated Great Wall inside one of the piers. The city wall along the hillside had already collapsed and was left with only a little bulge marks.

4. Photos in Yulin Prefecture

. In Yulin Prefecture, another member of the expedition team, E.L.Estabrook, took the desert scenery of Ordos , Ordos by another member of the expedition team.

. The expedition team came to Changlebao in Yulin Prefecture. This is the Yansui Town , one of the important towns in the nine borders.

enlarge the photo. The entire castle has been surrounded by the desert, but you can still see its majestic momentum.

. The Great Wall ruins next to Changle Fort in Yulin Prefecture photographed by Klap, one after another of the piers and platforms stretching to the distance.

. Krapp took photos of his companions moving in the sea of ​​sand in the desert near Changleburg.

0. Near Changle Fort in Yulin Prefecture, Klap saw a temple and city wall flooded by sand. The buildings in history were not destroyed by wars, but were hidden in the yellow sand.

1. Starting from Shenmu County, we arrived at Yulin Prefecture after three days. This day was June 20, 1914. The photo taken by Klap is the south gate of Yulin Prefecture City. Yulin was built in Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period. was built as Yansui Town during the Ming Dynasty, becoming one of the important towns on the nine borders.

enlarge the photo and it can be seen that the city wall is extremely tall and majestic. The city gate at the south gate is not facing directly, but opens to the left, and there are several groups of people on the road leading to the city.

magnified another part of the 11th picture, and many people in Yulin were washing clothes by the moat.

2. Klap entered Yulin Prefecture City, and he climbed to the highest point and took the whole picture of Yulin City . The buildings in the city are all traditional Chinese ancient buildings, close together, witnessing the long history of this ancient city. The rivers outside the city separate the vast desert and nourish the people of Yulin from all ages.

6. Photos of unknown areas

3. A Great Wall pier site located in Yulin, part of the front has collapsed, and behind it are rolling sand dunes.

4. Klap took this photo of the valley where red willow is growing in Yulin.

5. Klap indicated the location of this photo as Hou-liang-kou. According to the transliteration, it may be Houlianggou. Also in the sand valley next to it, there are red willows everywhere. The fields in the middle are planted with crops, and the terrain is very similar to the previous picture. I also hope that readers and friends will correct the correct address.