Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-01-07
The Chinese,

The recent expedition ofthe British to China
will no doubt prove servceable, in pouring a
aood Of light upon the habits and manners OF
that, in some measure, hitherto mysterious peo-
pie. One or two works have already appeared
from the pens of British officers, which possess
no little interest. Utterly wrong and outra-
geous as many regard the general features Of
the war, it will nevertheless be gratifying re-
suit in Christian, commercial and civilized
point of view. The French poet, Lnmartine,
speaks ofthe expedition rs likely to open the
gates of vast world, containing many millions
OF human beings, to the eyes of other and more
social portions ofthe family Of man. We have
heard other distinguished sources express SINH
lar views; and look forward in connexon with
this subject to still more mighty consequences.
While we are willing to anticipate the best in
all such cases, we cannot recognise the doctrine
as sound, that crime and outrage are suitable
means to attempt the remote accomplishment
of good. We annex an extract from work on
China, recently published in Enelan by a
Captain Bingham: Boston Atlas.
"The.tse-kiang, or Child Of the Ocean, is one
of the most extensive rivers in the world, Sec
ond only to the Mississippi and Amazon. 1t
takes its rise in Thibet, and ere reaching the
sea passes over an extent Of 2,700 miles of
country in its circui,ous route, relieving the
Lakes Tongting and Poyang Of their supernu-
Gus waters. When passing Noukin it runs with
continual ebb, and with such force as to re-
quire strong breeze to sailagainst it. In its
downward course numerous islands are formed,
which are constantly increasing from the guam
tity of soil suspended in its waters. The Con-
way had been employed in surveying the
mouths Of this mighty river, and her indefati-
gable captain succeeded in discovering pas.
sage by which line of battle ships might be con-
Quoted through the sands which guard its en-
| trance. The Conway did not proceed above
| sixty miles up, and even then the ebb was
! found TO run eight hours, and the food at neap
tides was scarcely perccptible.
| "The appearance Of the ship created grea,
sensation and the natives were apparently
busy throwing up Notifications, which, being
examined by the telescope, proved nothing but
mats extended OH poles, with painted ports, to
! give them the appearance Of forts these poor
! ignorant people not having the least idea that
their real character could be so easily dis
tingushed. During the time the dispute was
going on between the late Lord Napier and
the Chinese authorities, our countrymen at
Canton were one morning astonished at seeing
the shore apparently brstling with hundred
cannon but on examining them with their
glasses, they had up in the front ofa mat fort
a range of earthen jars, with their open ends
! pointed toward the river. We found that it
was constant practice TO stick large round
piece of wood into the muzzle ola three pound
er, painted white, with black spot as large
as the bore of a thirty-two FOUNDER, and as the
white muzzle was continued along the line OF
guns, it became very difficult, by merely look
! ing at them, to discover the deception"