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 George Staunton at 1,500,000 square miles, inclusive of the Province of Liaotong, which lies beyond the Great Wall; by M'Culloch at 1,348,870 square miles; by the Abbé Hue at 2,835,000 square miles; and by Martin, in the Statesman's Year Book for 1876, at 1,534,953 square miles. The latter is probably the most correct, being of recent date and based upon Chinese official returns. Altogether, China proper may be regarded as about seven times the size of France, or half as large as all Europe.

It may not be out of place here to notice that, notwithstanding the enormous extent of frontier possessed by the Chinese Empire, amounting to at least ten thousand geographical miles, no foreigner, whether Russian, Affghan, Hindoo, Burman, Englishman, or American, has been able to cross the boundary of this extraordinary country without the knowledge and sanction of its jealous Government.

Under the head of China, the Encyclopedia Britannica says, "A singular instance may be here mentioned of the inviolability of the frontier, notwitstanding the perseverance of the individual who attempted it, owing to the unwearied vigilance of the Government. Mr. Manning, an English gentleman of property and education, went to Canton many years ago, with the view of proceeding into the interior of China, and of domesticating himself for some time among the people. On his arrival there he adopted the Chinese dress, suffered his beard to grow, and sedulously applied himself to the study of the language, both written and spoken.

"When the time approached that his appearance.