The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-12


dred square miles, irrigated by score OF
water courses and an intricate system OF
canals. The metropolis Of this happy val
ley has wide. straight streets carefully
paved with alternate blocks OF gray ana
red freestone, and bordered with houses OF
substantial and attractive aspect. The
fronts are decorated with statues and
friezes carved in wood, and through the
open doors are seen sunny, well-ordered
courts The chambers, too, are clean, aud
offer sort of comfort rarely found
in the rest of China; and the denizens
themselves have an air OF cleanliness and
decency which is an agreeable surprise to
the foreigner familiar only with the mari
time provinces. In the streets of this civ
ilzed city, which seems to have deterio-
rated but little since the day of MARCO
PoLo. the German explorer was able TO cir
culate through the crowd without the
slightest molestation or annoyance, al
though he retained the European garb
On leaving Tchng- Tou by the eastern gate
the plain unfolds the remarkable spectacle
of eighteen large cities, varying in popula-
ton from fifty to two hundred ana nlty
thousand, and presenting ON diminished
scale faithful image OF the capital. Inc
intervals are thiokly sown with villages
and this single valley Is said to aggregate
nearly four millions Of inhabitants. No
where else, in the interior OF n continent
and at the same distance from the sea. is ii
possible to encounter an equal agglomera-
ton Of human beings.
OF the province of Kouei-Tchou, some
what smaller than Sse-Tchouan, less is
known. but ii is affirmed to be no less rich
and populous. Yun-Nan, on the other
hand, by reason, probably, of its mineral
wealth. has been more frequently visited
by travellers. In this province the annual
yield of metallic copper exceeds twelve
thousand tons; zinc, lead, and tin are ike
wise worked on Il considerable scale, whio
deposits of gold, silver, and quicksilver
have been laid open. To these products
which might be Occupied in amount with
tho employment Of European processes,
must be added the teas of Pon-cul, the
most renowned of China. which at present
are conveyed on the backs OF men more
than four hundred miles TO the banks of
the Blue river; also musk, which is sold
OH the ground for its weight in silver-that
is to say, at one-tenth of its European
price; and finally silk, which is produced
III enormous quantities, together with "a
multitude Of medicinal roots aud gums
Neither should we overlook u stuff Pc
culiar to Yun-Nan, and known as satin
OF the Eastern sea-" which is woven of Il
singularly ST. ong and fexile thread, SAID
to he furnished by n species of spider
To bring these flourishing provinces in
direct connection with Calcutta by way OF
Birmah has been capital object of Eng
lish diplomacy in the East during the past
eight years. The town Of Bhamo at the
head of navigation on the Urywaddy, is
but seventy miles distant in straight line
from Mornien, the emporium Of western
Yun-Nan; and although the intervening
country Is mountainous, the Investigations
of Major SLADEN in 1865 seemed to indicate
that a road practicable to caravans need
not exceed twice that length. Accordingly,
in the early part of last year Col. Brownies
expedition was organized in the British
possessions on the coast of Birmah and as
cended the Urywaddy with the purpose of
surveying a route between the above
named points. The undertaking, however
was frustrated by the hostility of the local
| Chinese authorities, and Mr.. MARGARY, a
| member of the English legation at Pekin,
who accompanied the party, was assas-
| sinatef For tins murder Mr.. WADE was
instructed to exact the most signal repara-
ton, comprising not only the execution Of
the assassins and the payment of an indem-
nifty. but the cbastsement of the provin-
cial functionaries and the construction Of
n caravan road from Mornien to Bhamo.
no tod al ,.l.
than once seemed likely 10 end in open
rupture, the Chinese Government, as we
have lately learned 10y telegraph, has
granted everything demanded by the BIi-
fish envoy.
| Henceforward, then. Yun-Nan at all
| events will be unlocked to British COM
merce, but Baron RICHTHoFFEN considers
| II questionable whether the products of
Sse-Tchouan and Kouei-Tchou can bo
transported with profit to the Urywaddy.
He believes the true outlet OF these two
provinces, which between them nourish a
larger population tnan the whole of Euro
pean Russia to be the Song-koi or Hon
Kiang. THIS river rises in Yun-Nan, be-
comes navgable within that province,
and thence crossing the Annamite frontier,
flows through Tongking TO the sea. BY u
treaty with the empire of Auam, which be-
came operative in September OF last year,
the French acquired the right to navigate
Song-koi as far rs the Chinese border.
There is no doubt that the Government OF
China, viewing England with suspicion,
VIII do all in its power to further the i'll
tcrests Of France in this quarter and we
may therefore expect TO see the latter ac-
quire notable share Of the new traffic.
The Maiden Vote.
There will go TO the ballot boxes on
tho 9TH of next month a great body Of
young men who will cast their maiden