Page:China- Its State and Prospects.djvu/65

 the existence of a dense population in that country. It has been before observed, that the Chinese discourage intercourse with foreign nations, and only permit a limited and heavily burthened commerce at Canton. All foreign vessels, trading to Canton, have to pay a measurement charge, amounting, on vessels of eight hundred tons, to two thousand dollars, and an entreport fee of nearly equal value; but, by command of the present emperor, in the year 1825, the former, and by previous orders, the latter charge, were both dispensed with, in case of all vessels loaded with rice, in order to encourage the importation of so necessary an article from abroad. This permission is taken advantage of by foreign merchants, at Canton, and great quantities of rice are thus imported, to supply the wants of a needy population. Nothing but necessity will induce the Chinese government to swerve from its usual regulations, and to grant any immunities to foreigners:—when they do so, as in the case alluded to, it shews that rice is greatly needed in the country; and, if rice be needed in so fertile a region as China, it is evident that China is overstocked with inhabitants.

In addition to the above mentioned considerations, the prevalence of infanticide, in China, has been adduced, by some, as a proof of that empire's extreme populousness. While, however, we would by no means argue, that this abominable practice is kept up, in order to keep down the population, or that it has any considerable influence in diminishing the numbers of the people, we may still contend that infanticide in China, is more the result of poverty than prejudice, and has to do with economical, rather than religious considerations. In the first place, it is to be observed, that