Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-29
THE CITY OF CANTON.
Historical Sketch of Famous City of
China.
ITS Temples. Houses. ThorOushfares
and Populations Its CONNER.
cial Importance. Indus-
tries and Growth.
Boston Herald


In view of the fact that the Chinese i'm
perlai government is reported to be actively
preparing to close the port of Canton, some
thing III regard IL this city AMI its commerce
may perhaps he of interest to the world at
large. line time was. however, when the
closing of this port would have been equiva-
lent to stopping all foreign trad, with China,
but since then there have been opened num-
Ger OF other ports. 50 that a very larl @ amount
OF the export trade of Canton is done by other
cities. Its closure, therefore, " Ill have no ma
terlal effect upon the foreign trade of Canton.
Indeed, such is evidently not the intent of
the Chinese government in the steps said to
have been taken, the same being, no doubt.
in the ilue of strategic policy, in view of
portending difficulties with France, which
aims to secure the integrity of the important
but aSsalable points of the empire against
foreign invasion and conquest. The city of
Canton is the capital of the province of
kwangtung, one of the western provinces Of
China. 1t is situated on the south bank Of
the Pearl river, in north latitude % degrees
7minutes 10 seconds, and east longitu lie 1l3
degrees II minutes 80 seconds, nearly parallel
with Havana, Muskat, and Calcutta: but its
climate is colder than any of these. 1t lies
at the foot of the White Cloud hills along
the banks of the river, about seventy miles
north of Macys in direct line, and ninety
miles northwest of Hong Kong.
CANToN's ANTIQUITY.
The earliest notices of the city date back
two centuries before Christ, but traders were
doubtless located there prior to that time. 1t
grew in Importance as the country became
better settled, and i'll y. ID. 100 a regular
market was opened, and collector of Gus
toms appointed. When the Manchoos over
ran the country in 1850, this city resisted
their utmost efforts to reduce it for the space
of eleven months, and was finally carried by
treachery. Martini states that 100000 men
were killed at its sack, and the whole number
that lost their lives at the final assault and
during the siege was 100, ,0Go, according to
the native accounts. Since then it has been
rebuilt and has increased in prosperity until
it is regarded as the second city in the empire
for numbers. and is probably at present the
first i'll wealth. The foundations of the city
walls are of sandstone their upper part being
brick They are about twenty feet thick.
and from twenty-five to forty feet high, hav
ing an esplanade on the inside, and railways
leading to the rampant. on three sides. The
houses are built near the wall on both sides
of it, SO that, except on tie north, it can
hardly be seen when walking through the
city. There are twelve outer gates, four in
the partition WALL and two water gates,
through which boats pass into the moat east
and west 4 ditch once encompassed the
walls, but it is now dry on the northern side.
On the other three and within the city, it
and most of the canals are filed by the tide,
which, as it runs out, does much to cleanse
the city from its sewage. The gates are all
shut at night, and guard is stationed near
them to preserve order.
VIEW OF THE CITY.
The appearance of the city, when viewed
from the hills to the north is not at all invit-
ing, being an expanse of reddish roofs, often
concealed by frames for drying or dyeing
clothes, or shaded and relieved by few
large trees, and interspersed with high, red
poles used for fagstaffs Two pagodas shoot
up within the walls far above the watch tow
ers on them, and, with the FIVE storied tower
near the northern gate, form the most con-
spicuous objects in the prospect. To the
spectator, at this elevation, the river is
prominent feature in the landscape, as it
shines out, covered with great diversity Of
boats of different colors and sizes, some
stationary, others moving. and all re-
sounding with the mingled hum of Ia
borers, sailors, musicians hucksters, chill
dren, and boatwomen pursuing their sew
eral sports and occupations. On low sand
stone ledge. in the channel off the city, once
stood the Sea Pearl fort, called Dutch Folly
by foreigners. Beyond, ON its southern shore,
lies the suburb and island of Honam, and
green fields and low hills are seen still farther
in the distance. At the western angle of this
island the Fearl river divides, at the Macao
passage, the greatest body Of water flowing
south, and leaving a comparatively narrow
channel before the city. The hills on the
north rise 200 feet, their sides for miles be-
ing covered with oraves and tombs, the
metropolis of this vast city. The streets are
generally narrow, being from six to ten feet
WIDE and are about six hundred in number,
and have names in the Chinese language
,ignfying, such rs Dragon, New Green Pea,
Physic, Spectacle, and Old Clothes streets
STR. ETs AND BUILDINGS.
Unlike other Chinese and eastern cities,
the streets Of Canton are paved with fiat
granite blocks, and the sewerage is concealed.
The houses are generally built Of dark brown
orick, one or two stories high; are without
'erandas, and are entirely open in front,
closed only by suspended bamboo screens.
The windows are small and rarely furnished
with glass-paper, mica, and other transpar-
ent substances being substituted. The roofs
are of unequal height, from Chinese super
stition that i'll luck follows caves which con-
meet with each other. The houses
contain from three to six apartments.
The dwellings of the poorer classes
are seldom more than mud how
els, containing but a single apartment.
Stone is seldom used except about the gate
ways. J The shops are commodious and we'll
stocked with goods, and, in the busy part,
every house is a shop. Eating houses are
numerous, and furnish a great variety of
made dishes, in which rice, pork, puppies,
cats, rats, and geese are the staple ingre-
dients. The houses along the water side are
built upon piles and these portions of the
city are subject to inundations. About four
miles from the city is anchored the boat
town, or the 10000 covered river boats,
which are the constant homes of about
SoO,OOo people, called Tankin, a strange,
amphibouS, outcast race, who subsist by
fishing, carrying goods and passengers,
and various other occupations. They
are are also, on occasions, pirates.
THE TEMPLES.
The temples and public buildings of the city
are numerous. Among the religious houses
there existed up to q late date the monastery
of Chong- -showsz, or temples of longevity,
founded in 1913. and occupying spacious
grounds. In tho first pavilion were three
Buddhas. In the second-a seven-story, gilt
pagoda-were seventy nine images of Buddka.
In the third pavilion asan image of Buddha
reclining, and in a merry mood. This temple
was destroyed in November, 1881, by q mob.
which was incensed at the alleged misbe-
havior Of some of the priests toward the fe-
male devotees Near this stanu> the temple
Of the Five Hundred Genii, containing 500
statues of various sizes i'll honor of Buddha
and his disciples Canton is the most inhuen-
tlal city in southern China, and its reputation
fer riches and luxury is established through
out the central and northern provinces, owing
to its formerly engrossing the entire foreign
trade, up to 1913, for a period of about one
hundred years.
FOREIGN RESIDENTS.
The former residences of foreigners in the
western suburbs are known as Shih san Hang,