Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-23

As our acquaintance with the Chinese enlarge
we find that singular people 10 be not only iurthe
advanced in knowledge of the arts and sciences thai
had been supposed, but in many things greatly il
advance of the rest Of the world. The annexed
articles, which we extract from late number of tn,
London Repertory Of .ArtS, Sciences, and Mama
features, furnish some evidences OF this.
Notice Of The Early Employment Of Kites fo'
Military Purposes 6y tie Chinese; also, NofeI
concerning Iron and Copper pessels
Extracted from Chinese Boos and read before the Acadtai
DIES Sciences, Paris by NJ STANIsLAs JULIEN.
According to the Chinese Encyclopedia Khe-tchhing
youe (Book fol- 81 tradition attributes the Invention
OF kites to the celebrated Chinese General Han-sn who flour
shed in the year 200 1t not until several centuries
later that they employed for the amusement of children
This general says the work entitled 1ching tchaisa-kai
agrees with Tchn that he would enter at the centre OF h
city which he beseging but as he was Ignorant OF the
distance between his camp and the Palace Weiyang kong
which he wished enter subeaneous PASSAGE he
large kite to be constructed, which, with favorable wind
he sent in that direction akng account doubt OF the length
OF the string, and the curve it described.
From the work learn that in the third year of the
period Thai-thsng, Of the reign Of the Emperor Wout
the dynasty of the Liangs g. 5f9 Heoukng besieget
the city of King thai As the inhabitants could not
ncate their critical position any distance they constructed
great number Of paper kites and them flying in order
ask for Heou king seeing them rise in the air
suited his officers Wherever these kites alight" said
oil them named Wangwe, "hey VIII give news oil the be-
slssed, and make known their wants" &c.
In the work, (Book xviii, fol IL, the celebrated
philosopher Hoa seu who fourshed between the
$50 and l63 c. speaks of ships constructed entirely
In history of the district of Kao tcheou told,
that in the district of Nganng there still exists the copper
ship OF Keou tsien King of Youe who regned i'll the year
465 II buried in the sand, and visible the
ebb of the tide.
We read in the Recuei chi-i-i published by Wang-kia
between the years 265 and 49 that when the king of YEN
kheou the tribute, his ambassador vessel
tirey constructed Of sheets of copper.
We learn from Documents which have been published or
may be easily Produced that 2700 before the Christian
the Chinese acquainted with the art Of raising silk
worms 1000 years the compass for guiding travellers
ny land and known (see NaIrohs Memoir address
ed to NJ Alex de Humboldt y 400 years boats and
sells constructed entirely of iron, used The knowledge
OF ink and writing paper dated 200 and gunpow-
der according to Father Amyot century before Christ The
invention OF printing from wooden blocks sset down between
5S and 500 AID. engraving 904 A. D. with move
able types between l04 and l049 porcelain in the 9Th
century boring wells the art Of lighting and heating with
nammable gas Conducted at great distances under ground
suspension bridges reengines, playing cards. ll20
paper money, between 1860 and 34l, &c.
In medicine they treat with many disorders which
have hitherto been deemed ncurabe in Europe They
also acquainted with the of dyeng the whole paoy sys-
tenn and thus imparng to red fair hair black hue, which
will last until is turned grey falls off from age NJ I'm.
BERT who is bishop in China, Ito whom indebted
for description Of the Chinese method Of boring wells offers
of foreign mssonarie) living proof Of this internal colong
OF the hair This is the why the Chinese people have
from the earliest ages, been called the bchared nation
As regards agriculture, they Obtain by of
and other means, constant and regular results which suffice
to feed three hundred and sixty millions Of men, provided they
not visited by foundations, storms other natural
lamties.
In horticulture they acquainted with the of changing
the coors Of flowers also of forcing flowers and fruits and
producing from dwarf trees fine fruit that generally OBJ
tanned from large trees in fact they be possessed Of
the power Of producing the vegetable kingdom phenomena
which would be regarded in these countries with admiration
and pleasure.
II would be necessary to write long memoir, in order
merely point out what may be learnt from Chinese books
useful in the and manufactures, and also fo the
ance, comfort and of all classes of mankind II
very probable that in order meet the requirements of the
arts and keep up with the progress Of czaton European
genius will discover, during many future ages, after long
continued efforts and experiments, multitude Of useful inven
tons which previously known by the Chinese but which
hidden in their books and will remain hidden long
liberal and enlightened Government refuses undertake,
translate the works in which scientific andndustra processes
described.
For this purpose, the utility of which is ncontesab it
would be sufficient devote moderate the
publication Of Volumes containing and
TRANSACTIONS of this kind. AT the end of years. and
comparatively tdng expense should be in possession OF
nearly all the seryceabe, industrial, and scientific Chinese
works by which NEST important discoveries might be
made.-Comptes Rendus.