The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-28

~~Sf FoSAxISu uo0ei ouI teieBldp ucaO, huu
which appeared In yesterday afternoons edition
OF the HERALD, by which we are informed that
the Chinese empire is open to the trade of oil
foreign Powers, that the Christian religion is
allowed in al parts Of the country, and that
foreign diplomatic agents are admitted.
Although tie United States cannot be said to
have had any hand in the obtaining of these
concessions, we will nevertheless be the fore
most In deriving sdvsntsges from them. The
rsDparts Of Chinese exciusivcness being thus
demolished, the whole political, commercial and
social life Of China will socl be exposed to
view, to be operated upon by all the Powers of
an enlightened and active civilization. Pskin
itself, that stronghold of Oriental prejudice and
semi bar barism, will have its gates thrown open
to the world for the first time in the long cen
turtles of its existence, and will have the inner
life Of its thEee or four millions of inhabitants
displayed before the eyes of observant foreigners
What field will be thus presented for the opera
ti0ns of the Journalist, the artist the merchant,
the statesman, the missionary and the mechanic,
and what vast amount of knowledge will be
added to the literary storeheuse Of the world!
1t is not by the small figures of our present
trade with China that We can estimate the i'm
portance Of that clause Of the treaty by which
We learn that the Chinese Empire is open 10
the trade Of all foreign Powers. The whole
foreign commerce of China did not exceed in
1856 one hundred and twenty millions of dol
lars. Its commerce with the United States was
not more than one-tenth of the whole. In other
words, we exported to China in 1856 goods
and specie to the amount Of 81 ,55S,237, and i'm
ported therefrom tea and silk to the amount of
$l0,454, 436. But when we are told that the
tonnage Of China used in the navigation of
its rivers and canals is larger than the aggre-
gate tonnage Of all the other nations of the
EARTH that there are no Lees than ten thousand
imperial barges engaged in collecting and car.
Tying to Pekin The duties in kind imposed on
the single article Of grain; that an equal num-
Der of barges is employed in collecting the
duties On salt; that The annual revenue of her
government amounts to some $l20 900, coo; that
there are over four thousand walled cities and
towns in the empire, many of them rivallirg
Pekin in size and population; that there is not
q creek or haven on which there Goes not
stand town Of commercial Importance; that
Its great river, Yang.tze-kiang, opens up the
trade of hundred millions Of people, and that
in industry and enterprise these Celsstials are
not excelled even by ourselves, we may then
form some idea Of the immensely of the
trade that may be established and maintain
ed with this swarming hive Of humanity.
One Of the most satisfactory characteristics
Of this immense market for Yankee notions,
from steamboats, down to pins and needles,
which will be opened among the Chinese, is the
fact that It creates mutual exchange of pro-
ducts, and puts a stop to that immense drain of
silver for China which has 80 long disturbed
the exchanges of the world.
If we look forward still further, to the time
when her rivers and canals will be navigated
by steam; when from West to East the locomo-
tive will traverse her extent of country, bring
ing to her harbors on the eastern and southern
coasts the products of her three or four hundred
millions of Inhabitants when Pekin and Cam
ton, and Nankin and Annoy, and her other grea.
centres Of commerce, will be connected by elec-
trio telegraph with London and San Francisco,
then Indeed we may begin to realize the mag
Ditude Of this first piece Of news transmitted
over the little wire that stretches from Valentia
to Trinity Bay.