CO129-018 - Others - 1846 — Page 517

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BRITISH POSITION AND PROSPECTS IN CHINA. China, which will compensate for our loss of the United States and of Hindoostan.

China in a remarkable degree seems destined by Divine Providence to be the next great arena for the development of British civilization*. The vast extent of territory favoured by every variety of climate, and yielding almost every vegetable and mineral product; the great length of sea coast with numerous excellent harbours; the large rivers flowing far and deep into the central land; abundance of coal and iron for steam navigation and transit: canals for traffic in all directions; a population numbering, it is said, one-third of the inhabitants of the eartht-industrious, peaceful, skilled in husbandry and various branches

*

The third report of the "Society for diffusing useful knowledge in China,” held at Canton, 20th November, 1837, contains a review of the existing literature of the Chinese, and an enumeration of the "catalogue of works contained in the imperial library at Pekin." It concludes with these remarks :-

A

"From this cursory review which we have taken of Chinese literature, we are enabled to perceive what is the range of existing knowledge in this country. philosophy, which, leaving alone all speculations concerning the origin and future state of man, confines itself wholly to the relations between man and man in this life, occupies one fourth portion. A history and a geography, almost exclusively national, occupy another fourth portion; while the existence of other nations, and the practical lessons to be learned from the rest of mankind, are almost wholly for- gotten. With the exception of agriculture and weaving, the useful arts of life find hardly any place in Chinese literature. Mechanic and chemical sciences are scarcely thought of. Medicine we know to consist, for the most part, of mere quackery. Astronomical and mathematical sciences are chiefly derived from Europeans, and the knowledge of them is confined to a very few persons; while the vagaries of astrology and divination find a place not only in their literature, but also in the arrangements of government. Natural history is regarded only as an adjunct to medical science, if the practice of medicine among the Chinese can be dignified with the name of science. Seeing that so many are the defects of Chinese litera- ture, it becomes our imperative duty to exert our utmost energies to supply their lack of knowledge."

As regards their philosophy, the committee observe-

"Several of the classical works, which form the foundation of this first depart- ment of Chinese literature, have already, by means of translations, been placed within the reach of the European public. From these we are enabled to perceive to how low an elevation in philosophy the most esteemed sages of China have attained."

In the geography of even their own country they are almost as deficient as they are of that of foreign countries. A map of the province of Fokien, which I saw at the viceroy's residence at Foochoo, would have disgraced the New Zealanders, or any other barbarous nation. It had no bearings-no divisional lines-no propor- tions; and that part which we know, the Min river, was entirely incorrect. Yet this map was kept a secret; and our Consul at Foochoo could only procure a copy, by paying a Chinese largely for copying it by stealth. In astronomy, music, sur- gery, medicine, chemistry, military and naval science, fine arts, &c., they are utterly deficient.

+ EXTENT

Geographical Position.

Provinces.

Provincial

Capital.

Area in

square

Miles.

Lat. N.

Long. E.

in Ring and Mow. Mouths Arable area

Mile. square Number of on each Mouths.

† Extent of ChinA PROPER, number of Inhabitants, Arable Area, and Revenues at the end of 1844, exclusive of Tartary, the Dependent Provinces, and the Colonies. (Prepared for me from official documents.)

Total fixed

Revenue

of each

Province.

Land

Taels. in

Taxes and Duties.

Salt.

Sundry.

in the

Provincial MoneyTaels. In kind. Treasury. Send to the Emperor.

Remains

Chih-le

Peking

Sung-UHUS

Shan-se

Ho-pan

Keang-800

Tse-nan-foo

Tae-yuen.foo

Kae-fung-foo

Nanking

39° 54′ 13′′

36 44 24

16°28' 0"

117 07 30

58,949

65,104

-37 53 30

112 30 30

55,268

Gan-bwny

Keang-se

Fo-keen

Chế keang

Hoo-pih

Hoo-nan

Shen-se

Kwang-tung Kan-suh

Sze-choeu

Kwang se

Kwei-choo Yun-nan

Gan-king-foo

Nan-chang-foo

Fuh-choo-foo

Hang-choo-foo

Woo-chang-foo

Chang-sha-foo

Se-gan-foo

San-choo-foo

Ching-too foo

Kwang-choo-foo

Kwei-lin-foo

Yun-nan.foo

we i-yang-foo

≈ 8 5 5 2 2 2 4 2 &

家

117 04 13

22 23

115 48 17

ུ རྩ ུལ

8 2 2 2

2 2 5 %

R &

65,104

27,990,871

28,958,764

14,004,210

23,087,171

37,843,501

473

515

253

657,091-87

970,054-7

1,334,457

437,949

153,272

1,925,658

1,939,941

3,396,165

120,720

70,661

3,930,513

2,730,736

329,586′21 | 2,990,675

507,828

82,944

3,580,647

2,702,285

354

689,884-45 | 3,116,826 | 2,085,282 722,820-36 | 3,164,758

44,950

..

3,420,940

2,441,110

142,817

6,475,690

2.564,728

92,961

774

34,168,059

328,020-93 | 1,174,110

..

1,174,110

776,173

72,176

30,426,999

421

479,207-62 | 1,878,682

5,150

38,593

2,719,488

1,602,431

53,480

39,150

144,770

14,777,410

26,256,784

37,370,098

18,652,507

276

128,270-87 | 1,074,490

85,470

42,630

1,202,590

1,055,109

671

459,787-70 2,914,946

501,034

49,087

2,532,327

2,287,346

317·

566,913-49

312,287.90

1,174,110

..

11,554

1,282,598

776,173

333,543

883,745

..

44,343

924,302

944,422

265,379

10,207,256

252,371-3

1,658,700

697,028

40,623

2,206,351

306,336

265,498

154,008

15,193,135

177,831.3

280,652

39,450

60,787

380,889

1,082,644

72,274

103 10 30

111 16 30

110 13 50

25 06 0

102 51 40

00 08 92

106 36 10

166,800

79,456

78,250

107,969

54,554

21,435,678

19,147,030

7,313,895

5,561,320

93 128

214

459,040-67

631,094

31,782

662,880

**

13,029

328,832-03

84,400-60

1,364,364

47,913

65,220

1,477,497

719,307

-

339,143

416,399

47,150

52,660

$16,149

275,559

--

86,945

31

69,499-80

209,582

227,626

34,256

471,464

188,927

227,626

53,396

5,288,219

1,297,999

367,632,907

287

78

25,681-76

181,268

6,234

24,431

131,938

52,346

13,314

7,054,692-29 30,364,023 | 3,843,930 | 1,005,092

35,018,051

22,022,451 3,289,015 5,569,329

Hong Kong, June 1845.

R. M. MARTIN.

510