The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-29

counts which come from China Such state
Of things as is portrayed in the extracts from
our Chinese exchanges given elsewhere, has
hardly ever been witnessed before in any quar-
ter Of the globe.
That the King of Dahomey or any other un-
breeched savage should be willing to sell his
subjects or his prisoners for bottle Of rum or
string of beads, does not shock our notions
Of consistency and fitness; but that, among the
highly civilized and highly educated people {
China, regular traffic in native children
should be openly carried on, obviously with
the connivance, perhaps at the instance of the
parents, certainly does appear at war with all
received opinions and acknowledged prin-
cipleA That it is 40, however, there can be
very few coasting vessels ever leave Shanghae
or Ning-po without an assorted lot Of boys
thrown in to make up the cargo. The traffic
in girls is still more general, in consequence
of the prevalence of infanticide, which counte-
nances the murder Of female infants as soon as
they are born. We hear of one hundred girls
ready for shipment at one place, for the segar
factory at Manila. Another witness notes
that an order for two thousand girls for Cuba
has lately been received, and hints not OBJ
scurely that consignments of like nature are
often made to other Spanish French and Bri-
tish colonies. Dirt cheap is the proper word
for these juveniles-the production is so exu-
berant, that boys can be sold at profit for So
to So rs, and girls as low as shilling to
twenty-nv cents head. Here is, if we mis-
take not, the nucleus of more African compl-
MES, which will give governments and legisla-
tors some work.
Side by side with this startling phenomenon,
we publish the returns of the opium trade of
the East India Company with China. It is we'll
known that the Emperors of China have ex-
hausted their energies in Efforts to suppress
the importation of this detestable drug, bat
that they have been steadily foiled by the
perseverance and unprincipled avarice of the
East India Company. The war of 1916 was
occasioned by the latest of these praissworthy
attempts of the Chinese authorities to put
stop to the traffic; it was maintained at the
cost of that atrocious crime on the part of
Great Britain. Ever since then the Chinese
authorities have passively submitted; the pro-
duction Of opium has been increased by the East
India Company, and over seventy thousand
chests have been sent into China every year.
The NORTH China Herald estimates the annual
profits of the company out of this branch of
their business at about fifty millions of
rupees, say $23,00O000, and their total net
profits since the trade began at the enor-
nous sum of 67s,5lS,534 rupees, say in
round numbers lO,OoO,OOO. To credit this
enormous trade, one must be aware that it is
supposed there are in China three millions of
men who are habitual opium smokers, and con-
sumo an average of. one mace per day, at the
cost of half laboring mans wages; and that
very small proportion Of this quantity-less
than . thirds grown in China.
We desire also to draw the attention of the
administration to the probability that the
French will shortly make some movement in
Eastern China. The sagacious policy of the
old French monarchy inculcated a close al
lance with China; rumors have reached Hong
Kong that the Emperor approves of such
policy and designs to carry it out. Excuses
would not be wanting for even hostile inva-
sion of China by the French. If the British
were justified in bombarding Nankin, in order
to force the East India Company's opium on
the Chinese, the French would certainly be
warranted in storming Pekin, to avenge the
deaths of the missionaries who have been sent
out so perseveriDgly by the propagation socie-
ties of Paris, and most of whom have been
cruelty murdered. NJ. Huc's narrative makes
of many of these brave but over-zealous
and if Napoleon were to batter
a town or two, just out of respect for
their memory, very few Christians would
censure him. Nor is he the man to overlook
the substantial advantages which might flow
out of such proceeding. England, as we
have pointed out on several occasions, is slowly
gathering her forces for descent upon the
eastern provinces of China. She will proba-
bly, be ready ere the year is out, and the Brit
fish flag will probably float over some of the
rich cities Of Se-Fchouen. In the meanwhile,
what an excellent opportunity for her friend
and ally-that ally whose counsels are hers,
whose interests are hers all over the world-to
operate divers on Oh the Eastern shore, some
where in the neighborhood of Shanghae It
is not consistent with what we know of Louis
Napoleon to suppose that he will make no
effort to regain the old French ascendency in
Asia. 1t is not in his nature to see the English
commence the overthrow of China without
claiming share of the work. 1t is not posi-
BILE that the fleet he maintains in the Pacific
will rest tamely quiet, after the disappoint-
ment, to use no stronger word, of Petropau-
lowski.
These prospects again and peremptorily call
for the prompt attention CT our government.
The destinies of worlds arc being decided the
future thraldom of five hundred millions Of
people is being determined-the whole trade
of Western Asia is being divided up aud allot.