Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-12-03

able young ladies' Of their mania for foreign
husbands, and teach them to regard mind
Instead Of manner, in their. estimate of
character"
From the Sunday Morning Atlas.
CHINA.
Recent occurrences have made every thing
relating to China of the highest interest and
importance. We are waiting now anxiously
to ascertain the result of recent movements.
We allude 10 the stoppage of the opium trade.
| This has stopped IN measure, and may stop
altogether our trade with China, and then we
shall have to grow our own tea or indulge IN
some other beverage perhaps go back to the
beefsteak and porter breakfasts in which Queen
1 Elizabeth's Maids of Honor used to glory
The next news from China may possibly bring
an account of an open rupture. Z seems TO
be the intention ofthe English to have brush
at the Chinese any how.
In the mean time brief account of an En-
pire which may possibly cut us off of our Bo-
hea, Souchong, and Gunpowder, after running
several of our merchants IN Selling their OPT
UNI, may not be unacceptable
The Chinese Empire is the Oldest ofexisting
nations, and the least known or understood.
The habits and manners of the Chinese are
| totally estranged from other peoples, and they
preserve their individuality in marked man
ner. The nearest approximation to the outer
world-they consider themselves a world IN
| themselves--is in the practice of drink-the
great Chinese beverage creates an ex-
tensive commercial intercourse with other ma
1 tons.
The cities of China are peculiar They are
divided into classes, and the distinction IS clear
ly defined by the last syllable, which indicates
!. their size, rank and municipal jurisdiction
The monosyllables which are found at the end
of the name of every city are fl or fou, cheii
and helm. Flu denotes a city of the first class,
: having under its jurisdiction certain number
of cities of the two inferior classes. Chen de-
notes city of the second class, subject to the
jurisdiction of its Flu; and Helm a city of the
third class, subordinate to its Cheu, as well as
under the jurisdiction of its Flu. This is an
admirable method of telling the size or nature
. of city, and would be of great importance il
generally adopted. There are supposed to be
: In the Chinese Empire 160 cities of the first
class, go of the second, and upwards of 1000
/ of the third, besides number of walled towns,
not included in any of these classes.
The cities are all enclosed by high walls and
large gates, of more strength than beauty
2 Towers are built at regular distances. The
more than one story above the ground floor.
/. The shops are adorned with silks. porcelain
o and japanned wares, the most brilliant of which
Z are hung outside to attract customers. A large
board is suspended from the front Of each shop
with the names of the principal articles sold
( either painted upon it, or done IN gilt letters
: These snowy sign boards, placed at equal dis
0 tances on both sides of the streets, give the
n whole the appearance of a beautiful colon
a made.
Il Pekin, the chief of the cities of China, occu
/" pies an era of twelve square miles. Itcontain:
4 over 100000 of inhabitants. It has two
g streets as straight as line four English mile.
|. long and 100 feet wide, which run parallel from
e two gates on the southern wall and two gate
i IN the northern WALL and these are crossed a
{ right angles by two otder streets of the SAM
magnificent width. The sign post from tn,
stores, to which we have alluded, not merel
L set forth the nature of the goods, and the ex
emplary honesty of the dealer, but are gener
j. ally entwined with silken ribands and hun
N with flags, remnants and streamers of ever
fe possible color, from top to bottom. The later
= al streets of the city are filed up by thos
2 who are busted In buyng selling and barter
ing--the gayety, buzz and confusion that pre-
I vail are greater than might be expected fror
u the general character of the Chinese. Th
a. dealer cries his goods, the purchaser chatter
ar land wranges aloud, the barber f1ourishes b
ofl tweezers in the air, and clacks them togethe
inviting custom; comedians and quack dor
= tors, (oh the universal fellows1 momtebanl
~ and musicians, pedsars and their packs, JUG
IL glers, fortune tellers and conjurors, leave I
space unoccupied on the sides of the street,
at And this noise, and hustle, and crowd is n
Re confined to any particular season or occasio
or but reigns every day of the year.
"A The police department is very strict The
: are barbados at the ends of each street, close
at night, and none are suffered to pass wi
y have not lantern in hand, and the most u
ut gent business to plead.
The imperial city has many splendors tn
I'd are imposing and beautiful, but it lacks cor
nd fort. It has no pavements--no sewers
=, commodious supply of wholesome water co
j. sequently it is muddy in winter and dusty
= summer. 1t abounds IN the foulest smell
proceeding from odors and all sorts of fill
W, which the wealthy Try to neutralize in thu
lar houses, by making use of a variety of viole
he perfumes and burning scented wadds aud col
70. positions; and its inhabitants are obliged
- draw their supplies of the Indispensable fiji
- from wells dug IN the city, whose waters a
CD execrable.
The Great Wall of China has been cons
nd cred one of the wonders of the syorld-and
81 though It has been somewhat overrated, is
e's extraordinary work and Rnpresses us with
high notion Of the industry and perseverance,
- the Chinese. The wall averages about tWe
~ ty feet in height, and is in MANY places carr
JUG over the tops Of the highest and most Tnee
ms, rocks-the towers, which are distributed ald
the II, are seldom less than forty feet high Inso
she places the wall is so broad at the top, that
as. hoHemen placed abreast might have race
aai- It without mountaineering them. This n
~ after standing 1000 years. appears for leap
80 and leagues, as strong as at first. The va
.al- m many places diIapidated. It was built N
cry years, the Emperor impressing three men
INK Of every ten IN his dominions. into the 81
late It was finished 205 years before the brit
sen- Christ The mass Of matter in the wa
81. said to be more than sufficient to surround
~ globe on two of its great circles. and with
- walls each six feet high and two feet fhitjf.