Old China Hand (1900); Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch; Puzzle Palace

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OLD CHINA HAND

   This was asked on ADS-L recently.  There are many hits on the NEW YORK TIMES database.

   24 January 1900, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 15:
   Second, the cynical old China hand who, from time to time, adorns the pages of Blackwood's Magazine with luminous comments on Chinese affairs...

   7 September 1924, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. XX5:
   The extent of his influence upon the revolution has always been a subject of dispute among the "old China hands," who know the country as well as Ocidentals ever can know it.
(There is no citation at all between these in the 24 years.  The citations are frequent from this one on--ed.)

   9 September 1936, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. BR20 headline for book review:
_OLD CHINA HANDS._
_Maker of Heavenly Trousers_, by Daniele Vare.

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MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH

   19 September 1956, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 10 photo caption:
"Meanwhile, back at the ranch---."  A family sets up camp on a ranch near Ulan Bator.
(This is the first citation for this, and it seems rather late for a silent movie term.  The story is about Outer Mongolia, wherever that is--ed.)

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PUZZLE PALACE

   10 September 1958, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 43.
("Puzzle Palace" is the name of a horse!--ed., but not Mister Ed.)

   17 June 1966, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 41:
   "We can do more by keeping California tax dollars in Caliofrnia than we can running them through these puzzle palaces here on the Potomac where a certain shrinkage inevitably takes place."
(The speaker is Ronald Reagan--ed.)

   3 March 1968, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. E3.
("Puzzle Palace" is used as the title of a box in this story about the military and Robert McNamara--ed.)