Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 15.djvu/490

Rh 46G MANCHURIA which runs iu a north-easterly direction from the shores of the Gulf of Leaou-tung to the mouth of the Amur river. In its course through Northern Manchuria it forms the watershed of the Sungari, Hurka, and Usuri rivers, and in the south that of the Ya-lu, Ta-yang, and many smaller streams. It also forms the eastern boundary of the great plain of Leaou-tung. The mountains of this range reach their greatest height on the south-east of Kirin, where their snow-capped peaks rise to the elevation of from 10,000 to 12,000 feet. The scenery among them is justly celebrated for the grandeur of its beauty, more especially in the neigh bourhood of Haiching, Siu-yen, and the Corean Gate. Another range forms a parallel line to the Shan-a-lin mountains on their west, and runs from the neighbour hood of the junction of the Hurka and Sungari rivers, passing Kirin, to the plain on the north side of Monkden. The three principal rivers of Manchuria are the Sungari, Hurka, and Usuri already mentioned. Of these the Sun gari, which is the largest, rises on the northern slopes of the Shan-a-lin range, and runs in a north-westerly direction to its junction with the Nonni, from which point it turns north-east until it empties itself into the Amur. It is navigable by native junks above Kirin, to which city also the Russians have succeeded in travelling on it by steamer. In its long course it varies greatly both in depth and width, in some parts being only a few feet deep and spreading out to a width of more than a mile, while in other and mountainous portions of its course its channel is narrowed to 300 or 400 feet, and its depth is increased in inverse ratio. . The Usuri rises in about 44 N. lat. and 131 E. long., and, after running a north easterly course for nearly 500 miles, it also loses itself in the Amur. The Hurka takes its rise, like the Sungari, on the northern slopes of the Shan-a-lin range, and not far form the sources of that river. It takes a north-easterly course as far as the city of Ninguta, at which point it turns northward, and so continues until it joins the Sun gari at San-sing. It is navigable by junks between that city and Ninguta, though the torrents in its course make the voyage backwards and forwards one of considerable difficulty. Next in importance to these rivers are the Leaou and Ta-yang, the former of which rises in Mongolia, and after running in an easterly direction for about 400 miles enters Manchuria in about 43 N. lat., and turning southward empties itself into the Gulf of Leaou-tung. In bygone days large junks were able to sail up it as far as New-chwang, but owing to the silting up of the bed it is not now navigable for any but small boats beyond Ying-tsze, where the foreign settlement is situated. The Ta-yang rises on the southern slopes of the Shan-a-lin mountains, and flows southward into the Yellow Sea. Moukden, or as it is called by the Chinese Shing-yang, the capital city of Manchuria, is situated in the province of Leaou-tung, in 41 40 N. lat. and 130 30 E. long. It occupies a fine position on the river Shin, an affluent of the Leaou, and is a city with considerable pretensions to grandeur. The city wall presents a handsome appearance, and is pierced by eight gates. Like Peking, the town possesses a dram tower and a huge bell. The streets are broad and well laid out, and the shops are well supplied with both native and foreign goods. The population is estimated at about 200,000, including that of the suburbs, the richest and most extensive of which are on the western and southern faces of the city. Leaou-yang, which was once the capital of the country, also stands in the province of Leaou-tung, but it is not now a place of much import ance. Such trade as there is is carried on in the centre of the city, the remaining portions being open, having been turned into vegetable gardens. The other cities in the province are King-chow-foo on the west of the Gulf of Leaou-tung ; Kin-chow, on the western extremity of the Leaou-tung peninsula ; Kai-chow, on the north-western shore of the same peninsula ; Hai-ching, on the road from Ying-tsze to Moukden ; Ki-yuen, a populous and prosperous city in the north of the province ; and Hing-king, on the northern slope of the Shan-a-lin mountains, which is famous rather from the fact that it was the original seat of the founders of the present dynasty than for any pretensions to present importance. The most important commercial place, however, is the treaty port of Ying-tsze, which is situated at the head of the Gulf of Leaou-tung. The main street, which is lined with shops and warehouses, is 2 miles in length, and the trade there carried on is very considerable. According to the custom-house returns the value of the foreign imports and exports in the year 1880 was 691, 954 and 1,117,790 respectively, besides a large native trade carried on in junks. The population of the whole province of Leaou-tung is estimated to be about 12,000,000. The province of Kirin, or Central Manchuria, is bounded on the N. and N.W. by the Sungari, on the S. by Leaou- tung and Corea, on the W. by the line of palisades already spoken of, and on the E. by the Usuri and the maritime Russian provinces. It contains an area of about 135,000 square miles, and is entirely mountainous with the excep tion of a stretch of plain country in its north-western corner. This plain produces large quantities of indigo and opium,, and is physically remarkable for the number of isolated conical hills which dot its surface. These sometimes occur in a direct line at intervals of 15 or 20 miles, and elsewhere are scattered about &quot;like dish-covers on a table.&quot; Kirin, the capital of the province, is situated in about 43 40 N. lat. and 126 50 E. long., and occupies a magnificent position, being surrounded on the north, west, and soutli by a semicircular range of mountains with the broad stream of the Sungari flowing across the front. The local trade is considerable, and is benefited by the presence of large junk-building yards, which, owing to the abundance and cheapness of wood, have been established there, and from which the place has derived its Chinese name of Chuen- chang or &quot;shipyard.&quot; The town has a well-to-do appear ance, and in summer time the houses and shops are gaily decorated with flowers brought from the sunny south. Ashehoh, on the Ashe, with its population of 40,000-; Petuna, Sinice Sing-chung, on the Sungari, population 30,000 ; San-sing, near the junction of the Sungari and Hurka ; La-lin, 120 miles to the north of Kirin, popula tion 20,000 ; and Ninguta, are the other principal cities in the province. Tsi-tsi-har, or Northern Manchuria, which contains about 195,000 square miles, is bounded on the N. and N.E. by the Amur, on the S. by the Sungari, and on the W. by the Nonni and Mongolia. This province is thinly populated, and is cultivated only along the lines of its rivers. The only towns of any importance are Tsitsihar and Mergen, both situated on the Nonni. Four principal highways traverse Manchuria. The first runs from Peking to Kirin via Moukden, where it sends off a branch to Corea. At Kirin it bifurcates, one branch going to San-sing, the extreme north-eastern town of the province of Kirin, and the other to Poissiet on the coast via Ninguta. The second road runs from the treaty port of Ying-tsze through Moukden to Petuna in the north western corner of the Kirin province and thence to Tsitsihar, Mergen, and the Amur, The third also starts from Ying-tsze, and strikes southward to Kin-chow at the extremity of the Leaou-tung peninsula. And the fourth connects Ying-tsze with the Gate of Corea. The great plain in Leaou-tun^ is in many parts swampy, and in the neighbourhood of the sea, where the soil emits a saline exuda-