Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-04-24
Lectures on China.
Deliueyed an Ne,c York. b. Mission
ara UiliiamS.

cal Society. as did Mr.. Gliddon. his
;ntroaoc,ion was by Professor Mason;
and Dr u thune of Philadelphia, hap
pan;nr to be present at the time, vol
UNFAIRLY rose, and though previously
unaware of any arrangement of the
kind, was yet prepared to speak from
personal acquaintance, IN the hgnest
terms Of the qualifications OF Mr.. w.
as a lecturer, who probably possessed
more knowledge of Chinese affairs
than any other man in this county
MIR. lV. had resided in China about 2
wears as Missionary of the A. b. L.
T. M.
The first lecture was upon the topo-
graphy and productions of the country.
The Empire consists of three divisions
= China Proper. Manchouria and
Soongaria, and is one third larger than
all Europe, and three times the size of
the Roman Empire. China Proper is
the smallest, and is divided into eigh
teen divisions. each of which is about
the size of Pennsylvania, and togeth-
err they are larger than the 26 States
OF the Union. Picking is a wide pain
and is twen.y-three miles in circum-
ference, and the capitol of the whole
empire. China Proper is divided in
to three great basins by two ranges of
mountains 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 10 the valleys
are channels Of commerce, and cause
the country to be well watered. In
the northern part is the largest inhab.
tied plain in the world-fve times
larger than Pennsylvania, and having
III millions of inhabitants; through
which river runs in a very crooked
course with so rapid current as to be
innavigable, and is more than 1000
miles in length, called Yellow river,
from the color of the walters by means
OF 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
situated. There are two great works
of art in China--the Canal and Wall.
The wall is twenty feet high, compos-
ed Of two walls, four feet in thickness,
inclining inward as they rise on each
side, and the middle filled with earth,
having towers at every three hundred
yards, of considerable strength. =
Though it has been standing 2,l0O
years, il is yet,quite firm, and through
four large gates all the commerce of
Central Asia passes. The canal is
about 700 miles long, built in the l2th
century, and is used for irrigation as
we'll as transportation. 1t is not so
finished as structures of the kind at
the present day; but constructed be-
fore such a thing was thought of in
Europe, it is highly credible to the in
dustry and civilization Of the Chinese.
What is called by us Tariary-a mis-
nomer-includes little less than all
the States east of the Mississippi, or
about seven hundred & ninety thousand
square miles, and is devoted to agri-
culture; in the west part OF which is
the great desert over which is scatter
ed about 500 salt lakes, it is frozen
region; it is about 1000 feet above the
level of the sea, and is so elevated that
water boils with no difficulty. The only
road from Europe to China was thro'
this desert for ages, and accounts for
the isolation Of the Chinese Empire.
The climate is l0o degrees colder than
in the same ATTITUDES in America
Canton, 220n. lat, has the temperature
of Charleston, and Picking, 4oon. lat.
has that Of our coolest places. For
weeks the thermometer is loo below
zero; though in summer it is IIOo a.
bove. The Typhoons prevail from Ju-
ly to October, commencing on the
north, and ending. on the southwest
coast exposed to which no vessel ia
safe without sea room.
The population of China, according
to their census, is 500 millions, which
DR.. Morrison thought quite correct:
this gives 277 to the square mile. only
II more than England. All the soil in
China is good. and is cultivated while
in England one-fourth is considered
waste; neither are there any horses or
cattle to be supported from the soil,
yet they fear famine; sometimes they
eat one another, cannlbalism not being
unknown. Several distinct races make
up the nation. Mr.. w. pointed to