Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 652

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The former lies about eighty miles south-west of the capital on the great road leading to Sháusí.

Tientsin fis the largest port on the coast abore Sháng- hái, and the only one of importance not open to foreign trade. The difficulties of entrance, however, almost preclude the access of foreign yessels, and it would thus be of little avail for trade if it were thrown open. It is especially important as being the terminus of the Grand Canal, where all the produce and taxes for the use of the capital are brought. The trade is quite extensive. More than five hundred junks arrive annually from the southern ports of China, and from Cochinchina and Siam. Near the mouth of the Pei ho is the town of

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Takú ★††, noticeable as the spot where the first interview be- tween the Chinese and English plenipotentiaries was held on the breaking out of the war in 1840. At the mouth of the river, 18 miles from Tungkú, is the city of Tungchau, where all boats unload their passengers aud cargoes, proceeding by a broad avenue twelve miles long to the capital.

There are several lakes in this province; the Tungting the Taluh-tseh 大陸澤 and the Ning-tsin peh 寧省油

in the south-western part connects with the last and the Pei ho through the river Hu-to The Pei ho or White River, is the largest stream between the Yellow River and the Great Wall, and with a branch called the Sángkien ho&drains all that part of the plain east of Shánsí, and south of the edge of the table land. There are besides those, the Cháng Tsz'yá, the Jeh, Lwán and the Chiu rivers.

Province of Shúntung.

Shántang i. e. East of the Hills, anciently called Tsí and Lú, is a mountainous country,Ithe coast being bold and well indented. The whole surface of the province is intersected by rivers at no great distance from each other. It is bounded north and east by the sea,

·west by Chihlí, and south by Kiángsú. The Tátsing ho is the largest river in the province. The Grand Can:A commences at Lintsing chau ; from this point north to Tientsin, the communication is along the channel of a branch of the Pei Ho. The native maps point out numerous harbors and bays, which ́are almost unknown to foreigners. Shantung is about six times the size of Wales in Great Britain, or the same as that of Georgia.in.the United States.

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