Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/180

 The city is, indeed, distinguished for size, wealth, and a numerous population; and (if we except Amoy, which, by some, is supposed to be still open to Spanish ships) is the only port in China to which the ships of Europe and America are admitted to trade.

"The estimate of missionaries, that Canton contains 1,000,000 of inhabitants, is exaggerated. The number is probably nearer 750,000." But how does it appear that this estimate of missionaries is exaggerated, and that the number is 'probably' nearer 750,000?—If, indeed, it be a correct statement, that "only about a third part, of the space enclosed (by the city walls) is covered with buildings,"—then it may be true also, that the "estimate" of missionaries is exaggerated; but that the "pleasure-gardens and fish-ponds" occupy two thirds, or one third, or even one half of one third, we deny. It is often very convenient to make statements, which, though they are most palpably false, it is not easy to prove so, except by placing assertion against assertion; in this way we could show, that the "estimate" of the encyclopedist is untrue, and that the number is "probably" nearer 1,000,000. And then, if we should go on to say, that the houses of the city are five, six, or even more stories high (which account would be as near the truth as what is said concerning the "space covered" with buildings), there would be some evidence, according to our own showing, that our statement was correct.

The truth in regard to this matter is, that no foreigner knows, or has the means of knowing, what is the exact amount of population in Canton. Du Halde, who wrote about a century ago, says, "the number of inhabitants of Canton is computed to exceed a million of souls." No man had better means of knowing the truth, in this case, than Du Halde; and, in our opinion, no work, among all those which have been written by foreigners concerning China, is more worthy of credit than his. We are