The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-05-25
THE CITY OF CANTON, CHINA.

The rapidly increasing intercourse, oil
late years, with that strange and mysterl-
ous nation, THE Chinese, as well as the
opening in our midst Of Peters wonder
full Chinese collection, has created i've
" interest in all that relates thereto
We have few remarks on the capital:
Canton is one Of the Oldest cities in
China, and has always been one Of the
most important. Il stands on the nor.h
bank of the "Ches-Keang," or Pearl Ri
yer, about sixty miles from the sea, and is
so nearly on level with the river as to
be sometimes inundated to the depth Of
several feet in the Spring and Fall of the
year.
Ii has been the principal seat OF foreign
commerce in China, for over twelve hun
dred years, and will probably continue TO
be, notwithstanding the opening OF four
other ports on the coast at the north, by
the Treaty with England. as the trade is
already firmly established, and the Chi
nese have national dislike of change.
The Portuguese were the first Euro
peans to open a trade with China. and
reached Canton in 1917, by doubling the
Cape of Good Hope. The Spanish,
Dutch and English soon followed, and af-
forwards the Americans.
The English trade is much larger than
all others combined. They sell the Chi
nese twenty millions Of dollars worth of
opium, and sixteen millions worth Of cot
ton, cotton goods and woollens annually,
and purchase from them about eighteen
millions worth of teas, silks aud other
goods. Part of the eighteen millions OF
dollars balance in favor of England, is
used to pay for the goods purchased by
other nations, but several millions are
yearly drawn from China by the Eng
lish, in consequence OF which the preci-
ous metals are becoming scarccr and ri
sing in value.
Canton was one Of the last places 10
subnit to the present race of Tartars,
who obtained possession of it By the trea-
son Of one Of the Chinese officers, in
1850, after an obstinate siege Of eleven
months. The Tartars were so enraged
by the Protracted resistance of the inha-
bilants, that they sacked the city. Seven
hundred thousand persons were slain du-
ring the siege and pillage. and the de-
siructIon Of property was immense.
For protection against foreign invasion,
wall was built about tae city in l706,
and at subsequent period the suburbs
were taken in by an additional wall.-
Since then, the city has extended beyond
the last enclosure, and the suburbs, through
which foreigners can roam, are now about
half as large as the town within. The
walls, built Of stone and brick, vary from
.5 to 40 feet in height, and are about 25
feet thick. Twelve gates lead into lhe
city, which, as well as the suburbs, is in.
tersected with canals and bitches. The
streets are numerous, hut generally shor
and crooked, in width from 2 to six eer
feet, and average about 6. Owing Il
their narrow dimensions, wheel carriage
are not used at all, and boats and sedan
are the only conveyances. The house
are generally hut one story high, an
built of brick. of blue or lead color.
There are no means for ascertainin
correctly the number of inhabitants; bu
judging from their crowded manner {
living, the great number of ariizans c
every kind, and . population Of two Q