The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-03-23

The above is taken from the account compil-
ed by Sir George Saunton, Of the late embassy
to China under Lord Mccartney, in 1888
Gust half a century ago--) to whom it was
communicated, at his request, by Chow to- Zhi-
ma, Chinese Mandarin, and is stated TO have
been founded on authentic documents, taken
from one of the public offices in Pekln. However,
as by the legal return made in l76l, the popu-
laton only amounted TO los, PA, $50 inhabitants,
ii is incredible that in the course of 80 wears, il
should have increased nearly 1875 millions The
surface of China proper and Chinese Tartary,
may be estimated at 100000 square miles.
1t will be observed that the Chinese provin-
ces are somewhat larger in territory than our
States, though being fewer in number, do not
contain SO many square miles, the latter being
nearly twice as large, viz: 2,379, OOO-yet, in
Guiding Chinese Tartary, the boundaries ex-
coed ours.
Climate, Soil, and Produce
The climate of China towards the North is
cold in the middle, mild; and in the South,
hot.
The soil is, either by nature or art, fruitful in
whatever can minister to the necessities, con-
venences and Injuries of life. Agriculture,
according TO the testimony of all travellers, is
carried TO the utmost degree of perfection, and
it receives most distinguished protection from
the Emperor, who every year holds solemn
festival, during which, accompanied by lis
family, the grandees of the court, and about
hundred peasants, he ploughs field himself,
and sows rice, wheat, beans, and two kinds of
milltt
Almost all our pleasant associations Of China
have arisen from her Tea-and, five owe our f1
ture intercourse with her to the result of her ODi
I'm war with England, we cannot forget that, un-
der Providence, we owe our independence as a
nation to tar upon her Tea 1t is odd
enough, truly, to think how England has sub
dued nation by smuggling Opium, and lost an
empire by taxing Tea But to pass on. The
tea-shrub, which furnishes one of the greatest
items of the commerce of China, is bushv like
rose-tree, and the expanded petals of the flow
er somewhat resemble that Of the rose. The
largest and Oldest leaves are the least esteemed
'"N ~ NN"'"'eu ny tue IoWtSl class oil the
people. The young leaves are plucked three
Tunes year, once in The spring and twice in
summer, and are laid on thin plates of earthen
ware, or iron, which being placed over char
coal fire, the moisture is drawn from the leaves.
which become dry and crisp. The color and
astrngency OF green tea is thought to be deriy
ed from the early period at which the leaves are
Pucked, when, like unIipe fruit, they are gene
rally green and acrid.
The Coton-tree is one of The great r;cbos oe
China, as the bulk of the inbabiiant, are cloibed
from the down 1t produces. The Tallov-,ro.
is about the height Of the common cherry tree
It's leaves are red and beart-shaped; the fruit il
produces has all the qualities of t,llow.
China produces, probably, every specie, Of
metals aud minerals in the known world
White copper, called by the Chinese. petono
is peculiar to itself Goals are found in gr,at
plenty in the mountains Of Shensi, Shansi and
Peetchelee Quarres abound in almost everv
province.
We must conclude our sketch for the presen,
but shall continue il in future paper. W.
claim no merit, but that Of faithfully peani,g
from, and transcrbng portion of the mate
rails, that lay before US, that few would take
the trouble to look into, and that but small
portion OF our readers probably possess.
ITO be cOntinued)