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

NEW CHINA SUN.

The splendid advantages which the Treaty of Peace

concluded with China will, without doubt, open up to

England, place her at this moment in a truly elevated
position. With the highest exultation and devout thank-

fulness has the news been received throughout the king-
dom, not only on account of the military successes by
which it has been preceded,but because further bloodshed
is stopped, and because the honour accrues to British
arms alone, of opening a mighty empire andits resources,
to ourselves, and the other nations of the globe. Of this
ancient and magnificent empire, with its mighty marts
of commerce, its superb cities crowded with industrioue
nhabitants, its means of traffic and communication, the
nature of its vast territories, together with its past and
present history and statistics, the subjoined columns have
for their object to unfold a large body of explanatory
and useful information, derived from the most authentic
sources.

For a period of many centuries China and its people
appear to have remained jealously secluded within the
limits of their own territories, and the pale of their own
institutions. Intercourse with foreigners, from the ear-
liest times of their history, seems scrupulously to have
been avoided ; and though anciently, it is supposed, that
they in some slight measure traded with the Pharoahs,
that they sent some of their silks and perfumes to Sa-
baco and Sesostris, that they corresponded with Ame-
nophis, and sent a bill of lading to the younger Menes ;
yet these few instances are rather conjectural than cer-
tain, and may be set down in the light of extraordinary
exceptions to what was otherwise an undeviating rule.
In modern times the same disposition has reigned quite
as absolutely as regards their bearing towards Euro-
peans, who, except by their own intrusiveness and per-
set-erance, which has in repeated cases been checked by
the " flowery natives of the Celestial Empire," have
never been able to become acquainted with more of the
circuits of this " kingdom and its provinces" than with
a few straggling specimens near the quays and custom-
houses of Canton and Macao.

Preserving thus, from time immemorial, their inde-
pendence and their institutions, and tenaciously adhering
to their own religion, habits, and customs, in spite of at-
tempts at innovation by the Missionary and the Jesuit, this
people, while Europe, in common with other parts of Asia,
has been shaken by rapid changes, political commotions,
and tumultuous revolutions, have remained in apathetic
quiet ; the otherskingdorns of the world have been con-
vulsed with tempests, while no wave of its turbulence
has made the slightest pressure on their shores. So long
as confined to themselves, and uninterfered with by
foreigners or intruders from without, so long this most
singular of the Asiatic nations sustained itself in a state
of permanent stability, characterised by a calm, orderly,
and unmoved tranquillity.
This ancient and long enduring state of things is now
about to be disturbed, and the revolution which will be
effected in this respect is mighty. A large family of the
human race, which for centuries has been isolated from
.the rest, is now about to enter with them into mutual
intercourse. Vast hordes of population, breaking through
the ignorance and superstition which has for ages enve-
loped them, will now come out into the open day, and
enjoy the freedom of a more expanded civilization, and
enter upon prospects immeasurably grander. The mighty
extension also, on the other hand, of the political and
commercial influence of .England, is almost as enormous
and unequalled as the most ample imagination could
desire. The expectations of a nation have rarely been
opened to more magnificent and glorious views.

CHINA. DIVIDED INTO PRO-

VINC LS.

- Earth's Kingdoms and their glory
His eye might there command, wherever stood
City of old or modern fame, the seat
Of mightiest empire : from the destined walls
Of Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Khan,
And Samarcand, by Oxus.
MILTON'S PARADISE LOST, b. xi., 1. 386.

By the Emperor Xunus all China was divided into
twelve provinces ibut the Yva, who succeeded him,
about 260 years before the time of our Saviour, reduced
the whole empire into nine provinces, which then, how-
ever, comprehended only the northern parts of China,
having for their confines the river Kiang. But when the
southern parts had been gained by conquest, the whole
kingdom of China was divided into fifteen provinces ;
since then it has been subdivided into eighteen.
The sovereignty of the Emperor of China over these
provinces extends tnus, according to its division, into
smaller or greater cities :—The whole empire is summed
tip into 145 capital cities, which, says a learned writer,
"outshine all the rest both in greatness and glory." These
contain 1,331 small cities, amongst which 148 may be
compared, in magnificence, beauty, and people, with any
of the chief cities. Besides these there are thirty-two
great cities more, which are not subject to any other,
3et have not the title of capital, though they command
over thirty-six small cities. In addition to these there
aro three cities more, for the officers and commanders of
the militia to dwell in. The forts and castles are 159,
beides which there are seventeen great garrison cities,
an;l sixty-six small garrison towns, which are never with-
out full companies and soldiers.
The Chinese poll or register-book, in which is exactly
set down the number of the people of each province
(except those of the Royal family) shows the population
to amount to 195,000,000 persons. The accuracy of this
statement is made out by the custom adopted in the
country for the express purpose of a correct census.
EverY master of a family is obliged, under a great
penalty, to hang out a little board over his door, upon
which he is obliged to set down the number of his
household and their condition. And, to prevent all fraud,
one is appointed over every tenth house, whom they
call Titang, which signifies the tenth man, or Tither :
his office consists in taking an account of the number of
the persons upon the board ; and if the master of the
family fail to make it known truly, his business is to
acquaint the Governor of the city with the abuse.