The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-04-24
WHOLE NUMBER 2O7
The Chinese Empire.

British government at Hong Kong, las
been recently published in the London
Times. The penal laws of China makes
provisions for general system Of legislation
and, with this aid, and the most thorough
investigation, the writer estimates the pres
cnt population of the Chinese Empire at be-
tween three hundred and fifty millions and
four hundred millions of human beings.
The population in China, lie says, is
grouped under four heads !; l. scholars;
2, husbandInen 8, mechanics; q, mcr-
chants. There is Il numerous class who afo
considered almost rs Social outcasts, such a.
stage players, professional gamblers, beg
garS, convicts, outlaws, and others; aud
these probably form no part of the populu.
ton returns. In tho more remote rural
districts, on the other hand the returning Of.
ficcr most probably contents himself With
giving the average Of more accessible and
better peoplcd localities. Sir John had no
means Of obtaining any satisfactory tables to
show the proportions which different ages
bear to one another i'll China, or to The
average mortality at different periods of
human life yet to every decade of life the
Chinese apply some special designation
the age OF l o is called the opening degree
20, youth expired 80, strength ami mar.
riage; 40, officially apt; so, errosknow
ing GO,cycle closing; 10, rare bird Of
age ; 80, rusty visagc 90, delayed 100,
ages extremity.
Nearly a tcnthof the population ,ferise
their means os support from the fisheries.
The river population is enormous a por,.
ulation, says the writer, "who lived only in
boats, who are born and educated who
marry near their families and die, who, in
word, begin and end their existence on
water, and never have or ever dream Of any
shelter other than the roof, and who seldom
tread except on the deck or board of their
sampans, showing TO what an extent tho
land is crowded, and how inadequate it is to
maintain the culnbercrs ofthc soil In tho
city ofCanton alone it is estimated that
100000 persons dwell upon the surface OF
the river, the boats, sometimes twenty Of
thirty deep, cover some miles, and have
their wants supplied by a,nbuatory sales
men, who wend their way through every
accessible passage. Ofthis vast population,
some dwell in decorated river boats used
for every purpose Of license and fcstivity;
for theatres, for concerts, for f,asts, for gat,-
bling, for lust, for solitary and social recre-
ations. Some crafts, arc employed in con-
veying goods and passengers, and are in a
state OF constant activity others arc moor.
ed, and their owners are engaged as SER
wants or laborers on shore. Indeed, their
pursuits are probably as numerous as those
Of the land population"
In addition to boats, they dwell on arti-
fetal islands which float upon the bikes
islands with gardens and houses raised up
on the ratters, which the occupies havs
bounded upotf them, and on which they
cultivate what is needful for the supply of
their daily wants.
The Chinese, say Sir John Bowring,
have no prejudice against any article Of
food except milk. lie never saw or heard
OF butter, cream, milk, or whey at any ma
tive Chinese tables. They, however; eat
everything; dogs-especially puppies
rats, mice, monkeys and snakes. They are
particularly found Of unmatched ducks and
chickens, and prefer their fish in the early
stages putrefaction. They have but two
daily meals, 10, A. NJ, and s, Pm.
In no part Of the world, says the writer,
are the harvests OF mortality more sweeping
| aud destructive than in China. Slatta-
tions, inundations, hurricanes, each sweep
Oft multitudes. The late civil wars. it Is
believed, have destroyed millions; the sac
ritices by. executions arc faithful. Pour ur
five hundred are said to fall daily by the
hands of the headsmen in one province a.
lone. Intanticide, especially offemale chill.
dren, sweep off its crowds .of victims.
There is no reverence for life whatever
Dead bodies are often left to purify where
they fall
Yet, though infanticidc is common; a
chidless person is deemed unhappy, il not
degraded. The domestic affections a.o
said to be strong. Parents are fond Uf
their children, and children obedient to
their parents. "Order is, indeed, the first
law Of ;Confucius authority and sabmis-
sion The apex and basis of the social pyra-
mid. There are no hereditary honors in
China, except those which reckon upward
from the distinguished son to the fatler,4tiie
grandfather, and the whole linesof of ances-
'try, which may. be ennobled by tile literary
or martial genius ofa descendaut-tle dis
tinctons of caste are unknown, and sneeess.
full student even Of the lowest origin would
be deemed at match. for the most onulent'
and distinguished female in the comhiunity,
10 which respect the Chinese show mDfe
good sense and reason than thet outside bar.
barlans.n
The emigrationzfrom Ching, accosdi6sto
Sir John is immense, yet does not viably
Affect the redundancy, Of the population.
sAbont, ,threemillion, from the province H.,
lone, are settled in foreign countries. In
Siam there are 100000 Chinese. The
islands ofshe Indian Archipelago aud Coch..
in China, teem with them. Multitudes 40
to Australia and other inviting regions, and
there is a great emigration. to Havana.
These euiigrants arc all males. There is
not woman to ten thousand men.
IT, Richmond Dispatch.
The efficacy Of the Otygenatsa Bittsrs.
in cases Of Dyspepsia, Asthma, and .Gener-
al Debility, has been attested by 'mspy. citi.
zens who are we'll knownto the public; and
whose a.atemen,s are: ample proof that this
ifieflic;Na Ia ona ~ osraak vainot go p