the terraqueous globe, afford no other object more sublimely great than this immense sovereignty, the most numerous, and, it is probable, the most anciently civilized nation. "As a whole, the Chinese empire fronts on the Pacific Ocean, from the head of the Gulf of Tung-Quin to the mouth of Amur, five thousand miles; upon Asiatic Russia, from the Sea of Ochotsk to the Irtish river, three thousand miles; along the Altaian and Imaus Mountains, fifteen hundred miles; and skirting the two Indies, two thousand five hundred miles; having an entire outline of more than twelve thousand miles. Within this perimeter is included the one thirteenth part of the land area of our planet; every variety of soil, and almost every diversity of climate. It includes the most elevated of all mountains, the Himalaya; the high, cold, and desolate plains of Thibet and Mongolia, and also the rich alluvial deltas of the Amur, Hoanho, and Kianku." immense population of two hundred millions-a wary, cunning, politic, keen, and observant race.

Such is a hasty sketch of the "Celestial Empire." What a field is here presented for the labours of the devoted missionary! --what a prospect for the merchant!-and how much to occupy the attention of the wise statesman! Of its commerce we shall speak in the next chapter, while we shall conclude the present with a few suggestions on a subject which has not received attention proportioned to its importance in this country; but with the opening of the trade to China, cannot be too soon attended to by our government. By the way, however, we must observe, that though China was once far in advance of every other nation on the globe, as to civilization, literature, refinement, and the arts and sciences, she is now as far in the rear of the most unenlightened nations of Europe. Still, China has not retrograded, but only stood still, while other nations, who were far behind her, have caught her up and pushed far ahead of her. Her arts are still in the same state that they were when that country was visited by Marco Polo, so many years ago; her modern literature is still a servile imitation of ancient models; and science has not advanced a single step.

A proper estimation, in this country, has never been placed

* Derby's Geographical Lectures.

upon the benefits which might result to agriculture, and particularly to horticulture, from an expedition to the coast of China. That country has a climate very similar to our own, arising from its similar position on the eastern edge of a great continent. Both are dry, and subject to greater vicissitudes of heat and cold than countries in the interior, or on the other side of the great continent. This being the case, the vegetable productions suitable to the one, cannot but thrive well in the other.

China has been a long time civilized, and the whole extent of its coast been for ages under a government which has paid more attention to agriculture than any other government that has ever existed. Under such circumstances, it is impossible to be otherwise, but that the vegetables and fruits of the various climates have been acclimated to a degree much beyond what they have with us, or in Europe, from whence we derive our fruits and vegetables.

The territories of China embracing both sides of the tropic, we have every reason to believe that the productions of the south have been extended as far as possible to the north, and those of the north to the south.

By getting, therefore, fruits and vegetables from a country thus situated, we get the advantage of a thousand or more years of acclimation.

For instance, we get our apples and pears from England and France. The apple we have not yet acclimated as far south as Georgia. There are, we believe, only one or two varieties, which, in the upper part of that state, prove fruitful in some years. Their flavour is very indifferent. So with the pear. Coming from the latitude of from forty-two to fifty, it is unproductive south of Baltimore; and so with other fruits.

Who can doubt but that, in a country in which the extension and prosperity of agriculture have been the great object of government, their fruits and other vegetables have, in the course of fifteen hundred years, been extending gradually to the south, so as to become used to a climate which it will take us nearly the same period to reach with the varieties of fruits which we now have. It is the same with the fruits and vegetable productions of the south. The tropical fruits and vegetables must have been brought as far north as they can be profitably cultivated. From

fifteen hundred to two thousand years have been passed in this process of acclimation.

Why should we undergo this long process, when a few thousand dollars may introduce them among us?

It is well known, that among other plants, the sugarcane may be gradually introduced into a climate which was at one time incongenial to it. The Otaheite has been introduced into Louisiana. What a gain it would be to our country if a variety could be procured which could be raised one degree farther north than the Otaheite! The advantages from this single plant alone would a thousand times compensate for all the expenses of such an experiment. For the introduction into this country of the various fruits and vegetables which such a country as China must produce, might be attended with advantages almost incalculable.

We have already received from China one animal, the benefits of which to our country surpass a thousand times the expenses which might accrue in setting on foot the proper inquiry in relation to this matter. The Chinese hog is the animal to which we allude. A long series of years devoted to the selection of animals having a propensity to fatten, could alone have produced the breed, which has added so much to the wealth of our farmers, and to the pleasure of our epicures who admire a nice ham. What would our gardeners think of the immense piles of headed lettuce, described by travellers in China as heaped up at the gates of the cities, preparatory to entering and being distributed among the morning markets? We have nothing of the kind in the United States or Europe. We cannot have, unless by hundreds of years of persevering industry and care.

These things are more particularly of importance, because they are those in which the great mass of the community are directly and principally interested. They add to the comfort of the poorest as much as they do to that of the richest. All are benefited, and none could complain of any expenditure which all acknowledge is for the benefit of all classes, and all sections. If there be any section that may be more benefited than another, it is from latitude 32° south.

The introduction of one single vegetable, the turnip, into England, changed the whole face of a large district of country, and

rendered it, from being almost barren, one of the most fertile in the kingdom.

As to the commercial advantages, independent of other articles of commerce, which might be brought into view by means of such inquiries, we have no doubt that the introduction alone of the iron of Formosa into our country, would be found in ready demand. That iron is of so superior a quality, that, for some particular purposes, it would be invaluable. Such is the temper that can be given to it, it is stated, that swords made of it will sever with ease those made of ordinary steel. What a desideratum to all the mechanic arts would be a sufficient quantity of it to make our finest edgetools, and most delicately constructed instruments!

CHAPTER XX.

European rivalry in the east-Formation of the East India Company-Its conquests in India-First American vessel sails from New-York, and visits Canton-Interesting correspondence-Tabular view of our trade-Expiration of the company's charter-New state of things opening in the east-Increased vigilance necessary on the part of our government-Free trade with China.

FOR a century after Vasco de Gama had reflected so much glory upon his nation, by discovering the passage around the Cape of Good Hope, the Portuguese had enjoyed, as well as greatly abused, the advantages of superior knowledge and art, amid a feeble and half-civilized people. They explored the Indian Ocean as far as Japan; visited islands rich in some of the favourite productions of nature; had achieved the most brilliant conquests; and, by their commerce, poured into Europe, in unexampled profusion, those rare commodities of the east, on which the nations of the old world, at that time, set an extraordinary value.

These new sources of wealth could not fail to attract the attention of the other powers of Europe. For even when confined to the narrow limits which a carriage by land had prescribed, this trade was supposed to have elevated feeble states into powerful ones. History bears abundant proof that it contributed largely to the support of the Grecian monarchies, both in Syria and in Egypt; for a long succession of years retarded the downfall of Constantinople; and raised the otherwise obscure republic of Venice to the rank and influence of the most potent of kingdoms. No wonder, therefore, that the new channel opened by the Portuguese to the east, should have aroused the cupidity of all the maritime powers of Europe.

England had shared largely in the improvements of Europe at that period; and that active spirit of commerce, which was destined to encompass the whole globe, had gone boldly forth; while the felicitous reign of Elizabeth was highly favourable to the accumulation of capital, and all of those projects on which the life of commerce depends.