The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-30
ARTICLE ".
HONG Konr and canton.


A sea voyage of about 1.7O0 miles to
the south will take us from the capital
of the Chinese empire to the second city
in size and importance, Canton. Like
Pekin, it is situated on q river about 100
miles from the coast, and it Is the great
commercial entrepot of the country. The
population is over 100000.
81 In some respects 1t is admirably stu
ated. At the junction of the Si-Kians
and Pei-Kiang rivers, and at the head
of delta which furnishes many outlets
to the ocean. it is natural meeting point
of exports and imports. These advan-
tages were early recognized, for it is
very old city, the first mention of 1t in
Cninese records being In the fourth GEM
tury B. C. The main outlet to the sea,
which is really the union of the two
rivers above mentioned, Is called by for
eigners the Canton river. Canton Is
foreign corruption of Kwanktung.
1t is typical Chinese city. Although
it was here that the opium war started
in the late thirties, which resulted in the
cession of Hongkong to the British, Cam
ton has kept itself almost uncontaminat-
ed by the sanitary and architectural re-
form nonsense of the hated and despised
foreigner It's streets are as narrow and
tortuous and filthy as need be to delight
the heart of every Celestial, and the
mortality threatens to oyerpopulate the
Chinese heaven. There are 5000 blind in
the city and 5000 lepers. The Chinese are
left to enjoy their own nastiness to the
full for the English prefer to live IN
settlements of their own. The conceited
stupidity of the natives renders them
unwilling to profit by the example OF
the foreigners, even Wnen II is rlgnl Der
fore their eyes.
Canton Is a walled city, in part. But
it's rickety houses have long since over
flowed the walls and spread along the
river bank in both directions, and then
across the river to an island on which
is the city Of Honan. The river Is here
three-fourths of a mile wide, and pre-
sents a spectacle not to be duplicated
elsewhere in the world, for it is covered
with junks and sampans. The latter are
houseboats, about a dozen feet long, and
in them thousands of families are born
live and die, scarcely ever setting their
feet on dry land The boats are packed
together in solid blocks, with Watery
streets betWeen-a Chinese Venice. While
the houseboat mother Is at work she
leaves her child to play as 1t WILL only
with a string tied to it for the purpose
of pulling 1t In should it fall overheard.
That is to say, II 1t is male child. Ii
a female child should fall into the water
and there should happen to be no string
to save 1t by, no one would feel badly
about 1t.
Canton has always been very indie
pendent city. In 1913 it took up arms in
behalf of the Ming dynasty, or real Chi
nese emperors, and against the Manchu
conaueror 1t stood siege for Whole
year, and was punished by the slaughter
of 100000 Of it's inhabitants and the sack
ing Of the city. Otherwise the city mas
not changed for centuries. Yet 1t Is the
homo of many industries. Besides being
a center CT exchange. 1t also manufac-
lures great quantities of silks, paper,
porcelain, glass, lacquer ivory and WOOD
carvings, and embroideries exquisite in
design and delicacy of workmanship.
Here was first put in circulation that
curious patois known as pigeon Cor pid-
gin) English, the general medium of
communication between the Chinese mer-
chant and the foreign buyer. Its base Is
English, grotesquely and dramatically
used, with some admixture of Portuguese
and Hindustanee.
Now, let us bid glad goodbye to the
sights and smells of Canton and drop
down the river about ninety-fiye miles 70
Hongkong, to enjoy once more the white
mans order, system, sanitation and
ample streets and buildings. 1t is an odd
contrast, and the moral is too obvious to
need pointing.
Most people suppose Hongkong is city.
1t is not city, but an island. situated
southwest of Canton and just at the OUT
let of the river. It's location and nature
are admirable for the English use. Ten
miles long, by seven wide. Its thirty-three
square miles contain every variety OF
scenery and climate; hill and valley,
woods and rivers, rocky mountains ana
level beaches, reefs and islets, and there
Is a magnificent harbor in which all the