The New York herald., 1845-02-02
China-Arts OF the Ceis stiaIs, Sc.


Der, 1S44;-
/ was assisted by Mr. Cushng's influence as min
lister, and DIR Parker's knowledge oi the language
and personal Influence, az much as could BE-.
The education Of the Chinese renders the m very
cautious and suspicious, and, having been taken in
by foreigners al various times, they have reason
TO be and are particularly suspicious Of them, and
appear unable to appreciate the metlves of persons
visiting the country for any other purposes than
those of trade. The mandarins are the only access
slbe persons who can make or allow changes and
improvements; and depending entirely upon the
will of the Emperor. who promotes and degrades
them.at pleasure, and having little feeling in COM
mon with the people whom they govern, as they
are never appointed to Office in their native pro.
vinces, they enrich themselves rapidly as possi-
bic, regardless of every thing but their popularity
with the Emperor, who appears to be quite easily
and often imposed upon
Notwithstanding the bursting of their miserable
cannon during their difficulties wi,h the English,
and the knowledge thsy obtained Ot the superiority
Of Earooean arms and military skill, and the eff
cheney Of steam frgates, they still appear disposed
follow their o'dp policy Of buying off, in oi DIFF
fculty. and humbngging The people by bomhastic
placards and edicls, and great show of lily ar
ranged forrihcatons fl led with guns, more misera-
hle, an toll, (becansr made by contract with a
maod arin,) than those destroyed by the English
and which on accnunt OF their frequently burst
no, he r,gn had 10 be chained before they would
fight ,hem.
TIL. leading men among the people at Canton
complain because the manoarins will not do any,
iiing themselves in The way Of improvements, or
let any body else and in conversation with OF
The Hong merchants, who takes considerable lnte-
rest 10 improvements IN machinery, and particular
" in the different applications OF steam, upon ask
lng him why he didn't get steamboat and run il
the coast of Canton River, he answered very ex-
pressively in the Canton Enslish-" my likee too
much, but no can that China law have ne hand,
have tie foot; how can wakee?" and this am in
clined to think is too true for our interest -
Ignorance of the language is great impediment
70 acquiring information; hut those who have q
knowledge Of it find it extremely difficult TO get
which correct YeSDectng Chinese
owing the ignorance of their artisans Of the
nature Of the maferias. they use and where they
are produced, their suspicious dispositions, and
the Chinese policy OF excluding foreigners from
me interior oi their cities and country
The machinery used by the Chinese is not only
curious but instructive account of its smplici-
ty; and shows that by patient labor the fines IA
brics can be made with rude machines Their
tools are evidently original Of simple construction
oerallv about II inch wide by II thick, and from
20 10 inches long; the iron, about inch wide,
Is confined by small iron wedge which is driven
in between the iron and a piece of stout wire
phich crosses the eye Of the plane. strong
wooden peg Lasses through the sock just behind
the iron and projects on each side lar enough for
convenience in holding it firmly: and in planning it
is pushed along the surface Of the wood with both
hands. The planning bench is similar to a conper's
horse without the head, and the workman sits
astride of the wood while plsnng It. The hand
like our buck saw IN form, and although il looks
clumsy with the bamboo frame, it is light, and the
workmen use it with one hand with facility. The
carpenter saws his own boards from the log, with
wide. thin, fne-toothed saw, worked like a nit
saw, by one or two men, without line being
drawn on the under side OF the log. The black
smiths apparatus is more simple even than the
carpenters, and there are many itinerant ones who
carry their forges, tools, fuel, and materials in
baskets suns on their backs, and trudge about the
streets seeking employment. Their bellows are
generally made of piece OF the trunk of tree,
about or 2d feet long by or inches diameter,
made hollow and cylindrical, and closed at beth
ends: in this a paper piston is worked forwards
and backwards, by small wire rod, (sometmes
twol which passes through one end, with a cross
handle outslde. The cylinder having valves OPEN
ing in and ont at each end, the piston draws in the
air at one end; at the same time it forces it out at
the other. have not seen any arranged to make
the bias, continuous as represented in Davis and
other works China Their anvil has round
face, but they appear to work handy as our
smiths do upon nearly flat surface. They use
clay in welding.
The worknen ia brass and other conpoaitou
metals are skiltul, bur their general mode Of
flushing these by scraping. Che same way the
smhs finish their iron worl) gives il coarse ap.
pearance.- They understand polishing and finishing
with the file but seldom do il, suppose from mo-
tlve9 ct ECONOMY.
have seen the operation of welding cas, iron
Gas II s called) several times; it is nothing more
than making a crack In a cast iron veseei wide
enough, by breaking out Dleces to admit OF melted
cast IRON being put IN In drops, and pesse down
each side like rv'ts, until the whole length OF the
crack is stopped Il Is then rubsed over with wet
clay, which stops Up any small holes remaining
ger of its leaking If the clay comes ont as the dirt
accumuIates last enough upon the inside keep it
ight.
There is one article extensively used by the Chi
nese which am surprised the Yankees have not
applied be!ore--this is Chunam The seans Of sll
Chinese vessels, large and small, are caulked or
iied with this article-it becomes as hard stone
under water in few days, and is en- excellent, du-
rabie, and cheap material, especially fir small ves-
sells, but if not skilitully made and put in the work.
ng OF the tmbers of large vessels is said TO throw
IN tG prla T.,
ing, with rsmmer, the oil of the Jsropha. "a
| species of Croton) with slaked shell lime, (ihey
have no limestone in this viciniy,) and adding
barahoo scraplngs 10 bind it together. When ex-
posed for sale IL is about the cnnssence of 2aziers
| puttv, and looks like it. The Jarcpha oil is used
TOR the same purposes that hnseed oil is with ps,
and sells at retail tor 10 cents ca,y, about 60
cents gallon, and at this price would be cheaper
10 use than linseed oil, which, suppose, would
answer as good a purpose for making chunsm from
the fact OF its rendering the fece of the plaster Of
paris noulds, used fto cast husts and figures in of
stony hardness IN short lime and keeps the wet
plaster from sdberng Oakum you'd probably an.
s.er better purpose than bamboo shasings to
bind IT. II is cheaper and more expeditonsy ap-
pied, and presents smoother and more uniform
surface TO The water than pitch and oekum.
The mode OF dividing vessels by water.eht
bukhe ads or partitions, for security against sinking
which IS comparatively new With us, is an old plan
| with the Chinese. All their vessels, down to the
tanker" or small boat, scnIled BY women, are
| hxed IN that way, and made tight with chunam.
| They also use the centrifugal bellows the idea of
which was probably obtained by the European in.
ventor from the tanning mill, which is likewise a
/ Chinese invention.
| The flowers, fruits and vegetables of china, the
same kinds as those produced in the Northern and
middle parts of the Uued States, are quite interler
/ 10 ours. The impedimen's TO introducing ma
chlnery or improvements in the arts sre such at
present, that have determined TO leave China for
| New York early in December
ANOTHER CoNFLAcRATIoN-MoRE DESTRUCTION
/ COJTpN. On w sIay l,.f A
he burpIpg oi building on one cf wharvfs which
iavoved the destfueon Of about 10 bairs of Cotton
aad now Becomes our painful duy 10 chronicle tke
loss Of some 40 bales By ,he same elaneu. ard
with Il foe large three story brick house. on Mag
sood's south whsrf The alarm was given sbcu, half
na asl