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 CANTON 729 ties fail to secure a purchaser, he parts with his visitor with the same politeness with which he received him. Provisions of all kinds are abundant and cheap in Canton; and few large cities can compare with it in point of salubrity. Canton sends forth annually about 10,000 tra- ding adventurers and laboring coolies to differ- ent parts of Asia, and of the latter lately to Aus- tralia, California, South America, and the West Indies. The temperature ranges from 75 to 90 F. between June and August, and 50* to 30 in January and February. Most of the rain falls in May and June, but in much less quantity than during a rainy season in tbe same latitude on the Indian peninsula. The 8. W. monsoon causes a clear sky, and brings a refreshing and invigorating air from October to January. A good deal of unhealthiness is complained of in the foreign quarter, especially among the women ; but this must be attributed to their luxurious and heavy European diet, and to the entire absence of suitable exercise. There is no local police, but the city ia divided into numerous districts or compartments with gates, which are closed at night as well as the city gates. Each community within these com- partments is held responsible to the authorities for peace and order ; but a police force is kept on the river. Thus the Cantonese seldom or never go out visiting or to places of public amusement in the evening, but spend their leisure time at home. There are numerous public buildings, such as pavilions, halls, and religious edifices, few of which deserve special notice, though some are not destitute of ele- gance. There are also a large number of temples, mostly dens of vice, in which there are about 3,000 priests and nuns. Two pagodas are conspicuous. One, called the Kwang- tab (plain pagoda), about 1,000 years old, rises in an angular tapering tower to a height of 160 ft. ; the other, about 1,300 years old, is an octag- onal nine-storied edifice, 170 ft. high. There are several prisons, the largest of which is capa- ble of containing 1,000 prisoners, and a found- ling hospital, the children from which when grown up are sold, often for the worst pur- poses. The temple of the 500 gods, or " flowery forest," is remarkable for the great number of colossal wooden figures of all colors, with grotesque or hideous faces, arranged in close order round the walls of the saloon, which are the guardian genii of China. The hall of worship is 60 ft. square, with a lofty ceiling. In the centre is a gigantic triple-carved statue, in a sitting posture, representing Buddha. Another temple, dedicated to longevity, con- tains a colossal idol of wood representing an obese old man. Here is kept a family of storks which are daily fed by the attendants. The examination hall contains about 9,000 stalls, where sit students and candidates for government offices, to pass their examination. The number of foreign residents in Canton is estimated at 130, mostly English and American. In 1846 there were 357 foreign residents, ex- clusive of the families belonging to several of them. Up to 1856 the foreigners resided at the factories, chiefly built by the East India company, which on the bombardment and capture of Canton at the end of that year were burned and levelled by the Chinese ; and after the proclamation of peace the merchants had to rent native tenements on the Ho- nan side, while the consular and other authorities were scattered over the city and western suburbs. The English obtained from the Chinese au- thorities a concession of the destroyed Sha- meen forts, situated in a salubrious part of the western suburbs on the river bank. The area allowed for foreign settlement has an extent of 24 acres. On the river side it is protected by a granite wall, and there is sufficient depth of water for a vessel of 1,000 tons burden to lie alongside. On the land side it is separated from the Chinese dwellings by a canal with stone embankments, across which there are three stone bridges. Good roads have been constructed along the margin of the concession, and that part facing the river is planted with trees and shrubs, forming a pleasant prome- nade. Streets were laid out and houses built, and the residents have formed themselves into a committee for municipal purposes. There are 30 or 40 large factories or hongs, an Epis- copal church built of white marble, a club house, and a good library. Some of the Amer- ican houses, finding that the acquisition of title by Americans within the British concession was attended with uncertainty, have rebuilt their old factories. Industry is active at Can- ton. The weaving of silks and other stuff's, and the manufacture of porcelain, fancy tables, screens, umbrellas, children's toys, jewelry in the precious metals, ivory, cranes' beaks, and other materials, ivory fans, &c., employ thou- sands of hands; and the products are sold at the lowest prices. The number of weavers is estimated at 50,000, including the embroiderers, the barbers at 7,000, and the shoemakers at 4,000. The printing and book trade is also considerable. There are no large manufac- turing establishments, the craftsmen working either singly at home or in small companies. Each trade or calling is united into guilds for mutual protection and support. Canton is the chief entrepot of the commerce of China with Japan, Siam, Cochin China, and the islands of the Malay archipelago. The great junk fleet at Canton, composed of ves- sels ranging from 500 to 1,000 tons burden, con- tributes more to the wealth of the city than the European fleets which anchor at Wham- poa. There are several millionaire Canton merchants at Batavia, Singapore, and Bang- kok. When we regard the position of Canton, we find that, though more remote from the sea than its northern commercial rivals, Shanghai, Ningpo, Foo-choo, and others, it is very fa- vorably situated to take advantage of the mon- soons that waft its junks to the ports of 8. E. Asia. Its position for internal trade is also