The Washington union., 1857-05-09
THE CHINA QUESTION.

The London Times thinks Mr. Buchanan greatly to
blame for not volunteering to aid English conquests
in China but the London Chronicle takes different
view of the matter. It says:
We have always argued that whenever steps might
taken to obtain commercial to that almost unknown
world the immense Chinese empire should be adopted in
the of the whole civilized nations of the globe But
we have right to call upon other States to take part in
or to sanction deliberate diplomatic fraud and ruthless
massacre In arguing behalf of joint action it has al
ways been with reservation that have strictly
right to ask other nations to render their respectabty
cloak for iniquities Had the government of the
United States fallen into the trap laid for them by Lord
Palmerson they would have given retrospective
ton to his proceedings of which his paractes would not
have been slow to take advantage. As it is should
President Buchanan persist in Withholding his assent to
the proposed cooperation he will have recorded another
condemnation OF the Chinese signal and far
reaching than the vote of censnre passed by the
House Of Commons against Lord Palmerston's policy
upon the motion of Mr. Golden =
As everything just now in connexon with China is
read with great interest we make room for the fol
lowing article on the population of the Chinese EN-
pire, which we find in late number of the Journal of
Commerce
'.We perceive that the population Of the Chinese e-
pe variousy estimated not only in the histories that
have been written Of late years but in the current debates
of the British Parliament. What are the facts
By the Chinese census taken in 1913 the population
was stated at 362 l83 The method of taking tho
census in that country affords example which
country as well others might profit by following Du
ring the period appointed for official enumeration of
the nhabitans householders required to post paca
their outside Doors stating the number of males and
females with their ages under their respective roofs and
heavy penalties attached to Misrepresentation of
bers 1t would SEEM therefore, that il any
made they would be the side of subtraction and not
addition.
sit is quite reasonably believed also that there
millions residing in the little family boats the rivers
in which large families reared dwho not and
could not from their habits of moving about constantly
be counted by the censusoffcers
"We take it for granted therefore, that the of
1913 below and not above the figures representing
the actual population at that time and the probable in
during the forty three years which have since
elapsed may be easily approxmated by comparison with
the increase Of other densely populated countries.
!. Perhaps country on the earth is favorably
situated for advancement in this respect than China If
they have no immigration they have little emigration
If they have passion for nanticide (nd this is not
common has been represented they have also legal
lied poygamy. The Chinese of the interior who live
generously and not intempeately, remarkable for
their longevity Their climate and their light and whole
some diet are favorable to this end. Nor has the in
crease Of population been retarded by epdemic by
the rayages Of war for until the late rebellion
paratiyely peaceful in its career they have had war;
except their little skirmishng along shore with the Eng
!ish navy some fifteen years ago.