Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-04-01
LECTURES ON CHINA.
DELIVERED III NEw-YoRK, by THE MISSION
AIRY WILLIAMS.
From the New England Puritan.

LECT r E I.

From the Ncw-England Puritan.
LECTURE I.
TOPOGRAPHY, POPULATION AND PRODUCTIONS.
Mr.. WILLIAMS comes before the public
under the auspices of the Historical Socie-
ty, as did Mr.. Gliddon. His introduction
was by Prof Mason; and DR.. Bethune of
Philadelphia, happening to be present at the
time voluntarily rose, and though previous
ly unaware of any arrangement of the kind,
was yet prepared to speak from personal ac-
quaintance, in the highest terms of the quail
ifications of Mr. W. as lecturer, who prob
ably possessed more knowledge of Chinese
affairs than any other man in this country
Mr.. w. has resided in China about twelve
years as Missionary of the A. b. G. +. NJ.
The first lecture of the course was upon
the topography and productions ofthe coun-
try. The Empire consists of three divisions
China Proper, Manchouria and Soonga-
ria, and is one third larger than all Europe,
and three times the size of the Roman Em-
pire. China Proper is the smallest and is
divided into Is divisions, each of which is
about the size of Pennsylvania, and togeth-
err they are larger than the % States of the
Union. Picking is a wide plain, and is %
miles in circumference, and the capitol of
the whole empire. China Proper is divided
into 3 great basins by two ranges of noun
tains running from east to west, which at
length become the highest in the world--in
Thibet-though not so high in China as to
prevent cultivation to the top. The rivers
in the valleys are channels ofcommerce, and
cause the country to be well watered. In the
northern part is the largest inhabited plain
in the world-fve times larger than Penn
sylvania and having III millions of inhab-
itants through which river runs in ve-
ry crooked course with so rapid a current
as to be innavigable, and is more than 1000
miles in length, called Yellow river, from
the color of the waters by means of a clay
brought down in immense quantities, which
tinges the sea to the distance of 100 miles.
The river of the central valley is 5000 miles
long, called the Yantse Kiong, up which, at
the distance of $50 miles, Nankin is stua-
ted. There are two great works of art in
China--the Canal and Wall. The wall is
20 feet high, composed of two walls, A feet
in thickness, inclining inward as they rise
on each side, and the middle filled with
earth, having towers at every 300 yards, of
considerable strength. Though it has been
standing 2, 100 years, it is yet quite firm, and
through large gates all the commerce of
Central Asia passes. The canal is about
700 miles long, built in the 10Th century,
and is used for irrigation as well as trans
portation. 1t is not so finished as structures
of the kind at the present day; but con-
structed before such thing was thought of
in Europe, it is highly creditable to the in
dustry and civilization of the Chinese
What is called by us Tartary,-a misno-
mer-includes little less than all the States
east of the Mississippi, or about 100 900
square miles, and is devoted to agriculture
in the west part of which is the great desert
over which is scattered about 500 salt lakes
1t is frozen region 1t Is about 1900 feet
above the level of the sea, and is so eleva-
ted that water boils with difficulty. The on
ly road from Europe to China was through
this desert for ages, and accounts for the is-
olation of the Chinese Empire. The clim-
ate is 100 degrees colder than in the same
ATTITUDES in America. Canton, 220 n. lat
has the temperature of Charleston, and Pc
king, 400 II. lat. has that of our coolest pla-
ces. For weeks the thermometer is l0o be-
low zero; though in summer it is Il09 4
bove. The Typhoons prevail from July to
October, commencing on the north, and en-
ding on the southwest coast, exposed to
WHICH, no NcSsCl 10 salt NltllOuI Scd lOOlIi
The population Of China, according to
their census, is 362 millions, which DIR. Nor
rison thought quite correct; this gives 277
to the square mile, only IL more than Eng
land. All the soil in China is good, and is
cultivated; while in England one-fourth is
considered waste neither are there any hor-
ses or cattle to be supported from the soil,
yet they fear famine; sometimes they eat
one another, cannibalism not being unknown.
Several distinct races make up the nation.
Mr.. w. pointed to a small spot on his map,
west of Canton, where a small number Of
the aboriginal inhabitants yet reside, MAIN
tanning an independent existence, having
never been conquered, being taller and lar
ger than the other races. The Moguls are
the most numerous, but the Manchos in the
north are the most enterprising, for being
only four millions, they yet conquered all
China in ten years, which power they still
possess. Besides coal, which is of common
use in the cities there are in China, gold,
silver and copper mines Cotton Is extern
; sively cultivated, the name being derived
from Chinese town, KOtOR it is not white,
but has the nankeen color. But the princi-
pal staple is Tea. The numerous varieties
of this article depend on the soil, climate
and age of the leaf, and manner OF curing.
The plant comes to maturity III three years,
and continues twenty years-belongs to the
iaponica class the leaf is some thicker than
that of the apple or cherry. In curing, the
leaf is rolled in the hand, put into heated
plates of iron, (never of copper, as some
have supposed, for the purpose of making it
green then moved about in hollow, warm
vessel, then dried in baskets kept moving o.
yer coal fire covered with ashes, that no
smoke may come forth. Some of the teal
scented. 1t is usually colored by gypsum
and indigo. 1t is used by the Chinese IN
various ways. When decocted, it is never
used with sugar or milk, and they are DIS
gusted with the idea, for when told OF some
strange things they eat, they retort by speak
ing of our putting sugar and milk into tea
In Thibet, tea is fixed with butter in Burr
: nah il is picked. The Moguls press it in-
: to solid mass, mixed with oil, and break 1t
off to eat as we do cheese. The annual ex,
port of tea amounts to 81 ,O0O,0 oO, ana
100 900 persons are employed in Canton IN
preparing and shipping the article. IL Is