New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-29
TIE RIVER SYSTEM OF CHINA.

ITS IMMENSE EXTENT-UNEQUALED. IN TIE
woRLD--YANG-TzE -Ho--TuE GREAT
CANAL.
magnitude and extent By that Of any other country anu
has been improved by the genius and INDUSTRY o. lC IN
IN utilizing tic water for the purposes both OF lIgsIoh
snd transport. The Imperial Canal that stretches II
Eangehow TO Pe.h' Is 40 ng9 ~ ieIy Syatered and
that by Of rivers, lakes, ana eahas S I'll
is rendered easy between all the provinces. VI ~
subjects of geography whatever relates to the rivers Of
country they consider the most lHtcIet mug d VII
seguenty give il the greatest attention In Their maps
canals "a our photographers DO OF roads and railways
But i'm certain districts close is the network OF wafer
that II would be difficult 20 lay down the lines on an ORR
nary scale. Tins is tho case with the country aITuro
Shanghai. where, III circuit OF hundred neS,
IS not less than 5000 miles OF water comm
ton through which boats can navigate A., ",
OF all in China II not IN the world inc lang
ts7e is the greatest IL Is ne river gGr eLeete VI %
Chinese and its name signhes O9 % P0 : ~
ECmotimes il is called "Ta kiang or OIeat idVer On
plaEs which show the lengths OF the pea rivers IN inc
world as the Mississippi inc ME- am oS 1be @ an ng
marked 1000 miles long II the length we're estimated
p6aupes The Yangtsze would rank first II during
melting OF the snow at ITS sources oNernoW It's banks
Ike nc Nile and rushcs with tremendous velocity into
re Pacific Ocean, where the water is dscOlOred by its
sediment miles from its m6uth. 1t Is - miles wide at
the mouth but diuuishcs about two miles at Hankow
where its receives the waters OF the tributary river Hau
h0mes from the sea IL rises 40 feet at this point Wnen
IN flood aud runs the of six miles hour Where
OyofOws It's banks It mandates the country Tor hou
Of miles, forming the level lands INTO Iahes'
which the inhabitants sail in their boats carrying lIaGe
Into the difficult OF access in the dry season ms
ro,,r m s1ScIDen where il bears the name Of Klnsha
-"goden-saudCd from that metal being found on lts
babks IRON thence it is named the Yang-tSze, and
bows on In ITS maiestcaly rapid and serpenune course
tO the Being SO central, ana having 50 sSaV q Ht
Der of provinces through winch pass this noble stream
has been termed in the guTdtye language OF the eoun
Hy, "The Girdle Of China" ,
The stream next in importance is the Hwans-ho,
or YclIow River nearly 1850 miles long. This great
river is regarded by the Chinese with supersutious
reverence. According to their accounts, IT'S sources
Dc I'm The region Of spirits and Geul, and its RAPID
surrCut its strangey-uneed wafer us devious cLauHt
and above all the dreadful devastation caused oy the
9vcIGOwing Of its banks unite 10 give mysterious
character Its source is in the same snowy region oil the
KOkouOr where the Iaugtsze takes IT'S rise FROM ms
elevated plateau Of Eastern Asia pursues tortuOuS
basery course dyerging to the north Whhe IT'S sister
rcam sweeps the south, that az one point their
waters nearly 110O miles apart but they again draw
Aear each other aAd discharge themselves into the sea
rom the yellow sediment il carries suspension from
NE cayCy soil Of the Orous territory and the depth OF
hinge ana the strength OF the current are so great that
ne bay which divides China from Japan IS turbld and
EeOwlsh from the waters OF TINS river hence us name
Yellow Sea. In depression between INC 6ayahheIa
Mountains on the sOuth, ana lhe hWahiu.E
IN the M north from h"T Paa % miles in cfSu6
rce seen from an enincnce, these springs and pools
Gng-suihai or Sea of Consultations. These waters
aIite and they flow eastward form two lakes, which
arc within than 100 miles Of the upper branches OF
she Yang sze The Yellow River enters emma proper ~
The Province OF KauSOO where its bed is not less than
1900 feet above the level Of the sea Here It's valley
very narrow and the land supplies scahty heTDage Iot
sheen and yak tended by MOngOl tribes, who wander at
pleasure over these wilds, sometimes collecting the true
Thubarb grows near the Go2nes . Oh Per
hy rsd 70 maj of the Adiee in the Tyro From
thence its course near the great wall OF emma
where the extent OF fertile GROUND decreases;
tine OrtOus, the river collects the yellow sediment
its desert surface which consists mostly OF sand
hills destitute OF wood and nearly OF vegetation; put hl
the numerous depressons between them are extensive
meadows and pasture lands. The river presently makes
detOuT and flowing due south again enters tHe DOuhu
AIRY of China proper dividing the provinces OF Shesee
and Shan.see uut 1t reaches the dividing ranges OF me
PeDg Mountains WheR ~ alEeiges al Hght anh'os9
the east This section OF the river is best Known ana
here II receives lts largest US IN w ia 49,
commences at the Junction with the river Wei snd Just
below tins another utuent named the river Ian sWes
by the sediment OF the river AT this point the waters
rush through gorge in the mountains where tue ems
Pass ID le well known Chinese history. Here, also,
the main stream ows through the northern section OF
the Honan province forming al aAuVlA deposit Is "
The banks serve only partially to conhne the waters
aud thew are then more dangerous TO the inhab-
snts than the food OF the Yagtszey as the adjacent
country is very low. bikes Of quarIed granite OF great
strength have been built, which extend vast distance
along the southern banks OF the river rms mas the e
feet las is the case with the Mississippi OF raising the
bed OF the that even az its lowest the surface
Is CONSIDERABLY ABOVE lie Pl",u' 80 - |
caursts. When the river is unusually swollen u bursts
Through tic dkes and causes loss of life and
property; and, the country inundated equal III area
to the whole Of Great Britain, We can understand The
force OF the remark made by the Chinese Emperor That
mis- river gave him moro trouble than all the other
cares Of government. About seventy miles from
is outlet into the yellow Sea, the HwanghO re-
ccives a considerable access to its volume from the
Hoong-tsze Lake which the waters Of the River
Wha and tributaries that take their rise in the
Peng range. The waters Of this lake are conveyed by
An artificial channel the yellow River short dis
tance above the Great Imperial Canal which cuts the
right angles There are grand pieces OF masonry
the TO the canal, where large blocks OF
granite and marble form lines OF quays ana serve 70 pro
ECct banks from the strong current OF the river
has been calculated that fully two million feet Of solid
Earth deposited In the Yellow Sea every hour from
tho HwanghO or enough to form an island IN II a mile
sguare every seventy days. The area Of the region
drained by the Hwangho Is about 10000 square miles OF
about onelth Of Europe Its entire length computed
2Sl0 miles. From its rapid current navigation against
the stream impUss BILE especially with the nat
SOtt0uiod Chinese craft Our steamers however could
easily stem the current. |Sau Francisco Chronicle.