The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-01 00:00:00

CANTON.

Canton (Chinese Kwang-chow-foo and Chan-Chong)
stands on the eastern bank of the Pekiang river, which
flows from the interior in a navigable stream for 300
miles to this town, where it is fully broader than the
Thames at London-bridge ; and after an additional
course of 80 miles, falls into the southern sea of China.
The town is surrounded by walls with a broad and deep
ditch about five miles in circumference. It stretches
about five miles along the banks of the river, and three
miles in a contrary direction. It is defended towards the
river by two high walls, mounted with cannon, and two
fortresses built on two islands ; on the land side it has a
strong wall and three forts. These forts and walls, how-
ever, would be totally unavailable in case of a regular
attack conducted according to European warfare. No
correct estimate of the population has ever been ob-
tained, but it is supposed to be fully as great as that of
Calcutta, or nearly 1,000,000. The principal street ap-
propriated to Europeans is denominated China-street.
Here are to be found the productions of every quarter of
the globe. The factories of the different European
Powers extend a considerable distance along the banks
of the river at about 100 yards from the water. They
consist of large handsome houses, on which are hoisted
the flags of the different nations trading with the coun-
try. The British factory far surpasses all others in ele-
gance and extent. For the space of four or five miles
opposite Canton, boats and vessels are ranged parallel to
each other in close order, many of them 'occupied by
numerous families who reside constantly on the water.
In the middle of the river lie the Chinese junks, which
trade with the Eastern Islands. Some of the junks are
from 600 to 1,000 tons burden. They are extremely
ill-built, almost unmanageable except before a wind, and
. .

require a crew of at least thirty men to every hundred
tons. Canton was the only port in China open to vessels
of every European nation.

CANTON FORTS.

The Chinese Government has expended very large
stns in the vain endeavour to render the entrance of the
Canton River impassable to European ships of war. The
Alceste frigate forced her way, in 1816, almost without

opposition,Thut since that period, additional forts have
been built, and all the guns that could be collected have
been placed in them with something•lilte a determination
to succeed in the object. The armament of the forts is
at present as follows, made by ships on the spot :

Embrasures.

Starboard hand, Old Anunghoy Fort 16
Starboard hand, New Anunghoy Fort 40
Larboard hand, Island battery, double

tier
Tiger Island battery

..•
32

Mounted
Gunc.

Total guns ll3
In the above account 'are not included two smaller
-forts, which may be passed out of gun-shot range.

AVIOY.

• Amoy, which is variously called Etimuy, or Hiamen,
is situated near the south-east coast of China, annexing
the province of Fuh-kien. In circuit, it has a compass of
about fifteen miles. and the great fort which was lately
captured by the British arms was resorted to formerly
by Europeans, but abandoned when foreign commerce
was restricted to Canton. There are to be met with in its
interior, and on the coast, several very large temples, par-
ticularly one of great celebrity, dedicated to the god Fo,
whose statue, of colossal size, towers to a great height,
and is much frequented by throngs of worshippers. The
images of numerous other divinities are also seen, to-
gether with a host of strange allegorical paintings, and
incense is burned perpetually on the altars. Amoy fort
lies at the back of the town, about 400 yards from the
shore, upon an eminence of small size. The front of the
village is composed of a cluster of small houses, before
which a long battery runs all along the shore, and much
resembles Algiers, in appearance, from the sea. Imme-
diately opposite the town is a harbour, and -the channel
itself is about three quarters of a mile in width, sepa-
rating Amoy from the island ofKoo-lang-soo, which also
has its battery. The ckannel is about twelve fathoms in
depth, and affords very excellent anchorage on the north
part of the town.
Amoy is the residence of numerous merchants, who
are the owners of more than 300 large junks, and wlb
carry on extensive sommerce not only to all the ports. of
China; but to many. also in the Indian Archipelago, am!
to Japan. It is considered as the grand emporium u
the Fokien province. Most of the Formosa trade, which
is extensive, is carried-on by-. the junks appertaning
Amoy ;they go to all the western ports of the island, and
eitherrreturn loaded with rice, -or go up to the north of
China loaded_' With sugar. With regard to Fokien, its
chief revenue arises from -the Amoy vessels, which pay
according to ibeir burthen so much a ton.
Th 6 Conceiving historical account will serve to show the
various attempts which have been made on the part of
the British from early times, to enter into mutual com-
merce with the people. As early as 1670, the English
Company had instituted a very fair trade at Amoy, which
tbr a time proved tolerably successful, but through some
cause it gradually declined, and at length proved so un-
profitable and vexatious, that the Company in 1681, or-
dered their establishments there, as also at Formosa, to
be withdrawn, and a trade, if possible, to be esta—
blished in their stead at Cinton and Foo-chovv.
Amoy was then taken possession of by the Tartars.
These people have always shown a great disinclination to
foreign trade, and the consequence was, that from the
moment of their being planted in these parts, the Eng-
'lish have been excluded from Ningpo and Amoy, having
traded at this last place only while it remained indepen-
lent of the Mantchows, when they supplanted the Tar-
tars by conquest, and also some time after the rest of
China had submitted to them.
In 1685, the ship Delight was sent out by the English
to attempt the re-establishment of the trade at Amoy,
and about the same time active exertions were made by
the Company towards securing a regular commerce at
Canton. This trial, and others which succeeded, were

ittcnded with various success, for the high duties and
extortions which the rapacious Mandarins at this port
endeavoured to put upon the English, drove them away
in disgust. " The ignorance of the Amoy merchants,"
complain the English traders at this period (1734), "and
the little encouragement they gave us, makes us almost
despair of doing any business at that place." Another
instance of the obstinacy of the Amoy Mandarins to
trade with the British occurred in 1744, when the Hard-
wicke proceeded into the inner harbour. Her mer-
chants then showed no disposition to trade, while in fact
. .

there seemed few to trade with, and accordingly, after
fifteen days of ineffectual trial, the Hardwicke left, and
proceeded to India, during the monsoon, without a single
article of cargo.
In the attempts made in 1832 by the Lord Amherst, a
small country ship, sent in charge of one of the Com-
pany's servants, accompanied by Mr. Gutzlaff, to estab-

iish-if possible a surreptitious trade in opium at the pro-
hibited ports, Amoy was tried. On this occasion no
device, or ingenuity, or enterprise, was spared to dispose
of the goods on board, and to establish a traffic with the
natives. These showed a very hospitable disposition
towards strangers, but all commerce was effectually pre-
vented by the Mandarins, except in one or two instances.
Vigilance was everywhere exercised to prevent trade.
The people of Amoy, and those along the coast,
ite-
tain an hereditary aptitude for the sea, and chiefly sup-
ply the Emperor's war-junks with sailors and comman-
ders. Two circumstances probably tend to maintain the
maritime propensities of the inhabitants. First the pro-
vince near which it is situated is so far removed from
the Grand Canal as to afford fewer inducements to inland
navigation ; secondly, the proximity of the opposite
coast of Formosa keeps up a constant intercourse by sea.
The language or dialect of Amoy also, in common with
that of the rest of Fuh-kien, is so peculiar as to be hardly
intelligible elsewhere ; ch is always pronounced t; and
hence the difference between the cha and tea for the great
staple production of China ; the first name for tea being
adopted by the Portuguese from Macao, and the second
by the English from Amoy, when this port was first the
seat of the English trade.
Du Halde gives a highly favourable account of Amoy.
He pronounces it to be a " famous sea-portr and form-
ing one of the best harbours in the world as a place for
ships to ride at anchor. "It is hemmed in," he says "on
one side by the islands, which are high, and shelter it
from every wind ; it is also so spacious withal that it
can contain many thousands of. vessels, and the sea
there is so deep that the largest ships may come up
close to the shore, and ride there in perfect safety. You
see there" he continues, "at all times, a great num-
ber of Chinese barques, which are on their voyage to
the countries bordering upon China, and about twenty
years ago you might see there many European vessels,
but now they come hither but seldom, and all the trade
is removed to Canton. The Emperor keeps six or
seven thousand men there in garrison, under the com-
mand of a Chinese General. In entering into the haven
you double a cape or rock, and this divides itself into
two, almost as the Mingaut does in the port
of Brest. The rock is visible, and rises seve-
ral feet above the water, Three leagues thence
stands a little island, having a hole through which you
see from one side to the other, and on this account called
the Bored island. Between this port and the• isle of
Formosa, the islands of Pong-hou form a small archi-
pelago, which are occupied by a Chinese garrison, and
the Mandarin who resides there has a, constant eye
upon vessels that trade from China to Formosa, and from
Formosa to China." Another traveller speaks of it in
,he following words:—" The coast of Amoy is washed
)y the Chinese sea, which forms itself into a channel
making the passage of Amoy. This channel is at all
Practicable, though at those periods when the
their changes, this, like all other parts of
unsafe. Amoy is perhaps one of
to be found along the coast ;
•trface ; its depth of water
of great burden,
breakwater,

val4t,

nonsoons
•he Chins shores, ....
'he best heitifal harbours
t is ample, and getyerOly ealore_
;enders it capable
.of teceiving Tem.-
Ind the island of Formoss lies, like a grez.
as a Menge foi the coast!'

iiritctro,
Ningpo is the chief city of a de-partnrent, and a place
of extensive trade. The plain of Niftgtei which re-
sembles a garden for its levelness and cultivation, is
livided by 66 canals made by the waters that fall from
.he mountains ; this vast quantity of water, fertilising
he plain, causes it to yield two crops of rice : the walls
)1 Ningpo are 5,074 geometrical paces in circumference,
mud from the eastern to the western gate, through a
greet which lies almoSt in a perfect line, there are
reckoned 5,274 large paces; the walls, built of free-stone,
ire in good repair, and capable of resisting every thing
mt cannon-balls. There is an entrance into the city
through five gates, two of which are towards the east,
is the port is on that side ; not to speak of the two
water-gates, so called by the Chinese, which are two
great arches that open through the walls to give
passage for the barques in and out of the city to
Lhe canals. On the south-west side there are no build-
,ngs worth notice, except one tower, several stories
'sigh, built of brick, and before the eastern gate, which
lies southward, there is a bridge over the Kin made of 16
flat-bottomed barques, fastened together with iron chains.
The entrance into Ningpo is difficult, especially for large
vessels, there being but 15 feet water over the bar in the

highest tides. In coming up the river,.the.city,Tia-hai°
hien, which is under its jurisdiction, is passed on the left
hand ; it is commanded by a citadel built on a high
rock, by the foot of which all vessels must necessarily
pass, at half the distance of a pistol-shot ; the river here
is seven or eight fathoms deep, having salt-houses on each
side, with towns.
Ningpo is situated on the north bank, five or six •
leagues up the river Ta-hea, the mouth of which is about
nine leagues distant from Chusan harbour.
Directly to the north-westward of this river is's deep
gulf, the disemboguement of the river Tseen-tang. A few
miles up the gulf is Hang-chow-foo, the capital of the
province Che-kiang, a place celebrated for its silk. manu-
factures, and the seat of an extensive maritime as well'as
inland trade. Kan-poo was formerly the port of Ilang-
chow, but the gradual accumulation of sands has ref
dered it useless.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF AUTHOR].
TIES AND PERSONS IN CHINA.
CONFUCIUS, 'THE' CELEBRATED
PHILOSOPHER. Lout
Confucius was born in a town of the kingdom of
of
in the province of Chan-tong, just about two Yea of
before the death of Thales, one of the seven sag
the,
Greece. He was contemporary with the famousTitto'st
floras, and Socrates appeared soon after China ha" old
this philosopher. Confucius was but three yearsdiea
when he lost his father, called Tchc-lean--he, wh° t est
Ctinasw
at the age of 73. 'The old man enjoyebd the higi.t.
offices in the kingdom of Song, and left no other iiiheriv
ante to his son but the honour of descending fronillg
the 27th Emperor of the second race of Chang%
mother, whose name was Ching, and who had her °r'l4;
from the illustrious family of the Yen, lived :I'l Yea
after the death of her husband.
A grave and serious air marked his younger daYs°el.t.A.Dtt
15, he applied himself to the serious study of the m
books, and stored his mind with maxims of virtue.
.ho
the age of 19 he married, and had •but one wife, vs f
brought him a son called Pe-yee, who died at the age
50 ; his heir was Tsou-tse, who trod in his father
)'ears
steps. The changes which he effected within a feff ,
in all the little kingdoms of which the empire consist._e,
were marvellous. His salutary ordinances banished
and set up everywhere in its stead, modesty, virtue, i,eres
perance, and sincerity. When at the age of 55' is: Lou
raised to one of the chief offices in the kingdom c"
as
his native country a in less than three month:3lls face s; to
changed, and the grandees and people had regie,.ethe
none but him. From thence he passed threttg;", f
kingdoms of Tsi, Guci,. and Tsou, and the aust,el;„44c:oll
his morals made everywhere dreaded. His in5t;7;;.1,50-
work of Tchun-tsiou was completed after his l' f 73
phical labours, and he finally died at the age °
in Tsou.
A few days before his last distemper he told 1' m dise
ciples, with tears in his eyes, that he was overe:ci in
with grief at the sight of the disorders which reign., too
the empire. " The mountain is fallen," said he'ti,p
high machine is demolished, and the sages are all cc
peared,"—meaning thereby that the edifice of Per''''
ve"
which he had endeavoured to raise, was almost eti the
thrown. From that time he began to languish,
irds
seventh day before his death, turning himself teivilow
his disciples, "The Kings," said he, " refuse to fell
my maxims, and since I am no longer useful on the ease
it is necessary that I should leave" it."of
words, he fell into it lethargy, and died in the
en
his disciples. LAMENTATIONS AT HIS DEATUr. then
the first news of Confucius' death, .Ngai Cong, wa?, The
reigned in the kingdom of Lou, broke into tears- °since
Tein (or. God) is not satisfied with me," cried he, They
it has taken away Confucius." His SEPuLeualrhoslts
built his sepulchre near the city Kiou-fou, on the -.co -
of the river Su, in dm same place, where he was iwised
turned to assemble his disciples ; this has since been ine day,
within walls, and looks like a small city to this very'
PERSON OF CoNrucies--His stature was tail RIV; air
proportioned ; his breast and shoulders large ;
es
grave and majestic ; his complexion olive ; his fi'st
large ; his beard long and black ; his nose a little
fore, i
his voice strong and sharp. On the middle of his
head there was a swelling or prominence, which an
the
•lisfigured him, for which reason his father gave h!'
lame of Kieou, which signifies Little Hill ; this
mods sty ye-
-.vise the name he sometimes gave himself out of 111° of I
ind humility. His DOCTRINES—The whole doctrine its
.1
:his philosopher tended to restore human nature 14'
(twiner lustre. and that first beauty it received • tr. 1
I leaven, since sullied by the darkness of ignoiane.„:,---s-
-the contagion of vice.
TAOU-K WANG, THE PRESENT EMPEROR
OF .
CHINA.
of tbis
This monarch, who now sways the destinies
immense empire, ascended the throne on the SePteetal
ber, 1820, upon the death of his father, lielvainF
tail
although a contest for the succession between h°l2,a-
-his brother was at first apprehended, the claims of -L"t;k.
Kwang were peaceably acknowledged ; and on his die ;I
ing on himself the reins of Government, he assior we ,
name of Yuen-hung, under which he is scarcely' 'in
fs-
among Europeans. Taou-Kwang, is, on the whole 40;„
vourably spoken of, being represented to be debe°,,eltf
lent disposition, and not given to those acts oL, ~,„
ow
or despotism which have disgraced many of his alit
tors. He has several children by the late EalP do).
The second son, having shown signs of a rebellious
.„,t,
.position, has been dispatched to the Monkdon Aft"'
with strong injunctions to treat him with severitP,
Taou-Kwang, although a despotic Monarch, is be
tirely at the mercy of the ministerial Mandarins, lief,
form " the interior Council Chamber," and the ,e,,v3
Councillors are four in number, two Tartars, ano t,4
Chinese ; the former always taking precedence. 13eh'er
these are a number of assessors, who form the c"-plar,
' Council of State. A peculiar feature of the Govev°3„,es.
is the office of censors, who are, properly speaking,,s„reti
By the ancient custom of the empire they are Pril„,,,""oat
to present any remonstrance to the Sovereign, "'Air
danger of losing their lives, but they are frequently ters
graded, if their advice is unwelcome. These Mill the
also dictate the measures to be pursued, and keep, his
Emperor entirely ignorant of the principal events .i.aloted
empire; and he in all probability was not aCqu
with the formidable armament invading his territer at
till the thunder of the British artillery resoundetbiers
Nankin, and awakened him from his celestial sill°
of fatal security. • frees
Taou-Kwang, genealogically derives his origin cee:
Tartar extraction, and from the following cireumsten
—ln the year 1644, Pekin was besieged and taklioes
the rebel Li-tse-tching, who, on the Emperor Heai:t wed
and his consort killing themselves in despair, ss.u3eo-
the imperial title ; he was opposed by Prince Ou
..st
Kouei, who invited the Mantchow Tartars to his
mince.; when upon the usurper being defeated, al(1 the
length killed by some peasants, the Tartars Owe age.
nephew of their Sovereign, a child of seven years of
on the throne of China.
natto
In 1649, the Tartars, having completed the eeq,n 0"
of China, the year is reckoned as the first of the ratio/ 4
Chun-tsi, with whom began the twenty-second cir„ow
of Tsing, of which race the sixth Emperor is "
reigning. ag,
First Emperor, 1649, Chun-tsi ; Second Litl,rg ;
1664, Kang-hi ; Third Emperor, 1734, Yong-—rer,
Fourth Emperor, 1735, Kien-long ; Fifth EmPieseo,
1796, Kea-king ; Sixth and present Emperor,
Taou-Kwang.
The lofty title Taou-Kwang, " the glory of resin.Lgb
tu
was chosen by the Emperor for himself; and .thas
better in his personal character than his father, yell
as yet been hardly supported. The most disgrace:73o of
of his administration has been the murder, in I,"
the Mahomedan Tartar Prince, Jehanghir, vnloises•
surrendered himself in reliance on the faith of Pr° to
Taou-Kwang is now about fifty-six years of Dr..; e,
and thin, and of a dark complexion. On his deee'". to
Regency is expected. Occasionally this great rulerr;
ac-
lord of ten thousand years, condescends to give si oro-
count of his conduct to his people; but his petal's tt4e.•
clamation is chosen from the best models of hiss the
cessors, just as one might make a poem out
elided
" Gradus ad Parnassurn. ' The greatest points titt res-
io are, that it should be exceedingly classical in 1;i eat
sion, and written in a very elegant hand. It iS w..,„fre•
into the Pekin Gazette, and distributed over the °gob.
The late Emperor issued one just before his bieotl,
Having caught cold out hunting, he informs his 5..,11 st of
"Having whipped my horse across the rootlin';-d sr
Kwan-jiu, I felt the phlegm rise to suffocation, arls that le.
prehended I should not recover." He then order the
~19,
all the great officers should cut off their tails, s_ods,
ladies of the harem and the Empress shave their for a
and that all public • documents should be written
twelvemonth in blue ink.
nOl,llll.
THE LATE CHINESE EMPRESS, NEVirIC- •re
The Chinese Empresses of the Celestial .e___lnPino;
neither in the ancient nor modern history of Chi Royal
with particular mention. Mere appendages to the..,„ sir'
person of the Emperor, there appear to have beena w
cumstances which have called for their appear:6'w°
yond the walls of the Imperial Palace. 1 Leo a
Empress Newkooluh appears, however, to have wits
person of great worth, and at her death a new ci_lo°_!,'
issued, in which her excellent virtues were held I
the strongest
ing with kindness towards all, lovely and winning, she language of conjugal affection. OveLroliveld
2ontrol over the hearts of those around her not by al' or
BrePer,
authority, but by gentleness and forbearance. The her,
confessed in this document his strong atta,chmeat bus
_re_
and on account of the above sterling qualities wt.Lo,Phitt,
•Vailed upon to make her his spouse, and the head "
rhs
lightened the burden of government, and the hearts.
transfused around the Court conciliated all their
ed to
earr:
harem. Three happy years thus passed : her icnitl cnolus
Soon, however, were these scenes of bliss eliang
sadness, and her unfortunate partner felt hinasoera. or_
and forsaken. There was one good quality since she
she was especially eminent—filial piety, aila
name was
became a pattern to the Court, her posthumous
il__wa___
srdered by the Emperor to be " Ileaou-tseue
,!01 "b;
how, Empress Perfectibility of Filial Obedience..
very
were
,lendour. The Mongol Princes
as
great •
the Korea; tribute-bearer
white
The burial of Newkooluh was celebrated
go in mourning, and even
h all Lis suite, the whi
ordered to wear' sincerely
s laoented
brightest
Her decease was dream of mourning. Hf
h was one ea the brigh
cl that
by all who knew her, 1,2 r e
But when we rea
urine
jewels in the highest eirc.es-
e•rief, the mono
for a time, with
d to strike
after so much display of sincereordered
~its re
up to make the ca.
almost
th
directed t o
according ofriclioing mostto Chinese
voig, then we
sound with the merry peal of • „ either all feel
`rains o
din form, or the m t
totes of
were
ing was absorbed
were to be exchanged for thee;
deep-felt suffering
Itiviionuersiete eatiicirsu,e_tattille
dull care for ever.
revel and mirth, to expel
doubt whether, in this land of cerelmoneje,rn,.o

CHINESE OFFICERS.
ADMIRAL KIVAN.—It was this Chinese officer vvb°
conducted the transactions with Sir Frederick Maitland,
and at a later period commanded the squadron of war"
junks, that encountered the Volage and yacinth'
No%ewber 3d. He mustered his fleet in considerable
force at ChuenPee, and prepared for aggressive mess
with great celerity, aided by a multitude of ftesveoge'