The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-02 00:00:00

NING-PO.

This city, sometimes called by Europeans Limpo or Liam-
po, is an excellent seaport, and a city of the first rank in the
province of Tche-kiang. It stands on the west bank of the
river Ta-hea (at the mouth of which is Chin-hae.) Ning-po
is in latitude 29.58 north, and longitude 12G.18 east, and is
distant about 660 miles S.S.E. from Vekin. It is well si-
tuated for a trade with Japan ; and, according to one account,
the silks manufactured at Ning-po are much esteemed in
other countries, especially in Japan, where they are exchanged
by the Chinese for copper, gold, and silver. In one of the
accounts of Lord Macartney's Embassy, Ning-po-foo (as it
is there called) is described as a large seaport, with a wall
round it, built of free-stone, having five noble gates, besides
I two large arched water-gates, for the admission of barges.
The port is defended by a citadel on a high rock, at the foot
of which vessels must pass within pistol-shot ; but the passage
is difficult for those of burthen, as there is no more than 15
feet water on the bar at spring-tides. Still it carries on an
extensive trade with Batavia, Siam, and Japan. Ning-po is
the centre of a considerable commerce with the almost num-
berless group of Chusan islands, which contain many fine
ports, the principal of which, the great Chusan island, is
about 40 miles in length, and 20 in breadth ; Tinghae, its
capital, (which has been compared to Venice, from its being
completely intersected by canals,) carries on a considerable
trade ; and the various channels between these islands are
crowded with almost innumerable vessels trading between
different islands and Ning-Po. By a recent letter from Chi-
na, we learn that the large foreign and export trade of this
emporium was quite ruined by our occupancy of the city,
which is said to contain 200,000 inhabitants. Its exports
consist chietly of green teas ; and the imports are woollen
cloths and cotton. I.,Ve copy the following .account of
Ning-po from Mr. Lindsay's voyage of exploration in the
Amherst :
" On the 25th of May, we proceeded through the numer-
ous islands of the Chusan Archipelago, towards Ning-po.
Dalrymple's chart, though it contains a considerable error
both in latitude and longitude, gives a very good idea of this
part of the coast, from the outer islands to Ke-tow, but all
between that and Chin-hae is laid down most inaccurately;
between Ke-tow and the small round island off it, we found
soundings with 45 fathoms, where 100 are marked. From
that we proceeded with a fine breeze and strong tide, inside
the islands -called the Elephant and Tower, finding no sound-
ings anywhere with 50 fathoms.
_ _

The following morning, we left the ship in the launch.
The entrance to the river was about twenty miles in a wes-
terly direction from the ship. The town of Chin-hae is
situated at the mouth of the river, the true name of which is
Ta-hae. This town, which is the capital of Heen, is built on
a peninsula, formed by the river on one side, and the sea on
other ; against the inroads of which it is protected by a mag-
nificent stone embankment, extending five or six miles along
the coast, which is a flat plane of some extent, and consider-
ably below the highwater mark of the sea.
" The town of Ning-po lies about 12 or 14 miles up the
river, which runs for the first few miles, in a south-west and
west direction, and then extends towards the north-west, so
the town bears about west from the entrance. The river in
front of Chin-hae is nearly half a mile wide, with six and
seven fathoms water, so as to offer excellent anchorage to
ships of any size. The chart made by Captain Rees gives a
much better idea of the entrance than can be afforded by
description. It will be seen, that ships of any burthen can
enter at half-tide ; the only difficulty is in the narrow
passage close to Foo Isun (the Crouching Tiger;) where, if
there was no leading wind, it would probably be prudent to
warp about 300 yards. The anchorage between Foo Sun and
Yew Shan is not good, owing to violent and irregular eddies.
" The town is situated on the western or left side of the
river, which here divides into two branches. The walls ap-
pear of great extent, and the suburbs cover both sides of the
river. We made for the nearest landing-place, landed amidst
a vast crowd, and walked directly into the city, saying we
wished to go to the Che-foo's office. Several instantly un-
dertook to show us the way, and we proceeded through broad
streets (comparatively speaking •, for the streets here are
several feet wider, and the shops handsomer, than any other
Chinese town ave seen) lined with handsome shops.
stopped and looked into several ; and both Mr. Gutzlaff and
myself addressed the crowd, telling them that we were their
ancient friends the English, who formerly traded here, and
brought great wealth to their town ; and that we had now
come, hoping to re-establish the ancient custom which had
been so beneficial to both of us.'
" We visited several shops in the town in which European
woollen manufactures were for sale, the prices of which were
much the same as at Fuh Chow-foo. I was anxious to visit I

tame tAtilesttie silk timeline, but only Imo. retail
Both Mr. Clutzlaff and myself endeavoured to obtain some
information as to whether any signs or remnants existed of
foreign residence there ; but our researches were fruitless,
and we had no time or leizure to pursue them. Every one,
however, appeared perfectly well aware that foreigners had
traded here a century ago, and that the greatest advantages
had been derived to their city from that circumstance.
Having walked right across the town, we ascended the ram-
parts, and from a tower over one of the gates had a good
• view of the city, which appears very populous, there being
no vacant spaces within the walls. The population, as col-
lected from various sources, I should state at from 250,000 to
300,000. The town and suburbs cover fully more than half
the space of Canton. The river fronting the town was full
of junks, mostly belonging to the province, and a good many
from Fokien. The greater part of Fokien junks appear to
remain at Chin-hae."

It appears, from Davis's " Chinese," that, as early as
1736, efforts were made by the British to establish a trade at
Ning-po, but without much success. In 1755 another at-
tempt was made; but the local authorities would not permit
any trade, unless all the great guns and ammunition of the
ships were first given up, and the charges and duties proved
to be double those of Canton, while no residence on shore
was allowed. The objection then made by the government
to a trade at Ning-po was " the loss of revenue to the em-
peror, accruing from overland carriage of tea and other goods
to Canton :" the very circumstance, of course, which en-
hanced the prices of those goods to the European purchasers.
On their departure from Ning-po, on the occasion named,
the super-cargoes were formally told by the mandarins, that
all future trade was forbidden at that port ; and a public
edict was shortly afterwards issued, confining the trade to
Canton. In 1759, the factory once occupied by the English
at Ning-po was destroyed, the merchants with whom they
had dealt were ordered to quit the place, and the war-junks
were directed to prevent any English ship from being sup-
plied with provisions at Chusan. One of the principal ob-
jects of Earl Macartney's embassy, in 1793, was to obtain,
if possible, the permission of the emperor to trade at Ning-
po, Chusan, Tien-tsin, and other places, in addition to
Canton ; but the emperor, in his letter to the King of Eng-
land, stated distinctly that the British commerce must be
strictly limited to the port of Canton. Captain Horsburg,
in his report to the foreign office, as to the harbours on the
coast, stated, that " the Chusan group presents safe anchor-
ing ground in several places, exclusive of the fine harbour
fronting the city of Chusan, with the river of Ning-po, a few
leagues to the westward."

ROYAL ASSEMRLY ROOMS, GREAT GEoitug.
STREET, LIVERPOOL.
,HENRY RUSSELL, (from America,) Composer of
" Woodman, Spare that Tree," " Some Love to
Roam," and other popular Ballads, respectfully begs leave to
intimate, that it is his intention to give his SECOND and
LAST VOCAL ENTERTAINMENT, at the ROYAL
ASSEMBLY Rooms, Great George-street, Liverpool, Tins
EVENING, (Friday,) ,the 2d December instant, . when he
will introduce " The Indian Hunter," " The Maniac,"
" The Founding of the Bell," "The Ship on Fire," " The
Sea Fight," "The Old Arm Chair," " The Ivy Green,"
" Let's be Gay," &c.
Tickets and Programme to be had at Messrs. Ilimn and
SONS, No. 57, Church-street, and the principal Music
Warehouses. Tickets to the Body of the Room, 2s. 6d. ;
Gallery, is. 6d.
Doors to be opened at Half-past Seven; Performance to
commence at Eight.
The New Horizontal Fonda Piano-forte, manufactured by
Joseph Kirkman and Son, will be used upon this occasion,
only five feet ten inches in length.