narrow and irregular. The public buildings consist of churches, convents, and the senate-house; the latter terminates the only spacious and level street in the town. The Governor's house is situated on the beach, opposite the landing place, and commands a beautiful prospect, but is not remarkable for external appearance or internal accommodation. Contiguous to it is the English factory, a plain commodious building; the other factories are in the same style, and all of them surrounded with gardens. The harbour does not admit vessels of burthen; large ships generally anchor six or seven miles off, the town bearing about W. N. W. The town is defended by several strong forts, mounted with heavy cannon, and garrisoned with Portuguese troops, seldom exceeding 250 in number. There are a Portuguese customhouse and quay on the S. side of the town, where all ships coming into the bay, are obliged to send their boats. When a ship arrives among the islands, a pilot generally comes on board to carry her into Macao roads. Immediately she is brought to anchor, which is generally about six or seven miles from the town, he proceeds to Macao, to acquaint the Mandarin with what nation she belongs to. Should there be any women on board, application must be made to the Bishop and Synod for permission to send them on shore, as they will not be permitted to proceed to Whampoa in the ship. As soon as the Mandarin is satisfied in his enquiries, he orders off a river pilot, (who seldom comes on board until the ship has lain 24 hours in the roads,) who brings a chop, or licence, to pass the Bocca Tigris, or mouth of Canton river, and carries the ship to Whampoa. The Chinese treat the Portuguese very cavalierly on many occasions, exacting duties sometimes in the port, and punishing individuals for crimes committed against the natives; and whenever resistance is attempted against such proceedings, the Mandarin, who commands the Chinese troops at the guard-house, immediately stops the supply of provisions from their market until they quietly submit. The possession of this place has been extremely beneficial to the Portuguese; for from thence they carried on for very nearly a century a most beneficial commerce with Japan, by which Macao became one of the richest and most considerable places in their possession; but since their expulsion from Japan, and the interference of other European nations in the commerce with Canton, together with the unsettled state of Siam, Cochin-China, and Tonquin, the place has fallen to decay. TRADE.-The following account is given of the articles and amount of the annual imports: and of silver from 150 to 250 chests, each containing 3000 dollars, chiefly from Manilla. The exports are exhibited as follow: The Government of Macao has recently made this port the emporium of the opium-trade. Their decree abolishes the restrictions upon that branch of commerce, and all classes are allowed to traffic in it, according to their inclination, paying the duty of 16 tales (or dollars) per chest, or pecul. DUTIES.-No duties are paid to the Senate for goods exported. On imports the duty is 8 per cent. except on tin and bezoar, which pay only 5 per cent.; and opium, which pays 16 dollars per chest to the Senate and Chinese: the latter are paid for conniving at its being landed, as it is a prohibited article. PROVISIONS AND REFRESHMENTS.-All sorts of provisions, vegetables, and fruits are sent off here in great abundance, as soon as the ship's boat has announced her arrival to the Government. It is not prudent to send the boat on shore, unless the ship is near Macao, and the wind fair for her to run in, as the Ladrones are numerous. These captured two boats with their crews, proceeding to Macao for pilots; and 7000 dollars were paid for the ransom of one of them. About thirty miles above Macao is Lintin, where ships of war anchor, as they are not permitted to proceed to Whampoa. This island is remarkable for a high peak, which is in latitude 22° 24′ N. The principal village is on the S. W. side of the island, and the anchorage is about 1 mile from the beach. The watering-place is half a mile from a village at the foot of the peak, where the stream runs through a bamboo into the casks; but it is of a very indifferent quality. Men of war lying here, generally receive their supplies of provisions from Macao. BOCCA TIGRIS, or mouth of the Tigris, so called from the appearance of one of the islands at its entrance, which is between Ananhoy Fort on the E. side, (a small semicircular battery, nearly level with the water's edge, mounted with a few guns,) and the Whangtong Islands, on the principal or northernmost of which there is a fort with some trees, from whence a Mandarin comes off to examine your chop, and leaves one or two revenue officers on board, who remain till you arrive at Whampoa; and here, if necessary, twenty or thirty small boats are hired to tow the ship, or to be stationed on the shoals in passing up the river. Should it be night-time on reaching the Bocca Tigris, the ship must anchor below the fort till daylight. About ten miles to the N., in latitude 22° 55′ N., is the Second Bar, where the Company's ships complete their cargoes for Europe; the bar being considered dangerous, as well as another spot about midway between the Second Bar and Whampoa. WHAMPOA.-The place where the ships anchor, is in latitude 23° 6' N., and is formed on the S. side by Danes and French Islands, and to the N. by the E. part of the island, on which the town of Whampoa is situated, which is low, and sometimes overflowed, and is called Bankshall Island, from its being the spot where bankshalls, or storehouses, are built to contain the ships' stores, overhaul the rigging, repair casks, &c. which are under the charge of one of the junior officers. The storehouses are built of bamboos and mats; and on a ship leaving Whampoa, are taken down by the comprador, and a fixed sum charged for the materials. On Danes Island, a portion of the ships' crews are occasionally permitted to go on shore for recreation on Sunday evenings, who return at a fixed hour; and for which the English ships pay 12 tales each month. The French keep on another island, called French Island, where they generally have their bankshalls. The Commanders of all European ships are allowed, as a great favour, to wear a flag in their boats, which prevents their being stopped at the hoppo, or custom-houses, of which there are several between Whampoa and Canton; but all other boats, whether belonging to ships, or the Chinese, must have a chop, which is renewed at every custom-house in their way up to Canton. It has occasionally happened that some Commanders have abused this favour: this ought carefully to be avoided, more particularly with such a people as the Chinese. Immediately on a ship's arrival, two hoppo, or custom-house boats are stationed alongside, one on each quarter, to prevent clandestine trade; and no goods are landed, or received on board, without their permission; and they remain with the ship till her departure from the second bar, homewardbound. CANTON.-This city is situated on the N. of the river, called by the Chinese, Choo-keang, in latitude 23° 7′ N., and longitude 113° 14′ E.; it is defended towards the water by two high walls, having cannon mounted, and two strong castles built on two islands in the river; on the land-side it is defended by a strong wall and three forts. The city wall is about 5 miles in circumference, and on the E. side has a broad and deep ditch close to it. It has several gates; within side of each is a guard-house, and no European is permitted to enter. The English factories extend a considerable distance along the banks of the river fronting the city, at about 100 yards' distance from the water's side: they consist of large and handsome houses, each having a flag-staff before it, on which is hoisted the flag of the nation to which it belongs. The English factory far surpasses the others, both in elegance and extent; it has a large verandah, reaching nearly down to the water's edge, raised on handsome pillars, paved with square marble slabs, and commanding an extensive view both up and down the river; adjoining to this verandah is the long room, where the Company's table is kept for their supracargoes, to which the Commanders of their ships had formerly free access, but at present have factories of their own, and only visit the Company's by invitation. The streets in the suburbs are in general very narrow and confined, and paved. The principal one is denominated China-street; it contains nothing but shops, in which are to be met with the productions of every part of the globe, and the merchants are in general extremely civil and attentive. Each trade seems to have a particular street allotted to it; no dwelling-house is to be seen in the suburbs; all are shops, which seldom consist of more than two stories, the lower floor being the place where the goods are deposited for sale, and the rest of the house serving as a warehouse. At night they all retire inside the city. The river is somewhat broader than the Thames at London Bridge; and for the space of four or five miles opposite Canton, is an extensive wooden town of large vessels and boats, stowed so close together, that there is scarcely room for a large boat to pass. They are generally drawn up in ranks, with a narrow passage left for vessels to pass and repass. In these vast numbers of families reside, who betake themselves to this mode of living. In the middle of the river, the Chinese junks which trade to the Eastern Islands, Batavia, &c. lie moored head and stern; some of them are of the burthen of 600 tons. The crews of the Company's ships used to be permitted to pass three days at Canton; but in consequence of their misconduct, and the risks that have been incurred, the liberty is now abolished. TRADE. The external commerce of Canton is very considerable, and may be classed under the following heads : I. That carried on with Great Britain; this includes the imports and exports on account of the East India Company, and the private trade of the commanders and officers of their ships. II. That carried on with the British settlements in India, in ships commonly called Country ships, the property of European resident merchants or natives, at the different Presidencies. III. That carried on with the other European powers, who once had factories at Canton, but which are at present abandoned, viz. France, Holland, Denmark, Ostend, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, and Leghorn. The trade carried on with the United States of America is blended in the Chinese accounts with that of all other foreigners, except the English from Europe and India. The account of their imports and exports is kept separate. IV. That carried on in their own junks or vessels to the Coasts of Siam, Cochin-China, Tonquin, Japan, the numerous islands to the eastward, and to Batavia. The commerce of Canton, immense as it is, is carried on with an astonishing regularity, and in no part of the world can business be transacted with so much ease and dispatch to the foreign merchant. The cargoes imported are all weighed on board, and the duties paid by the purchaser, who is generally one of the Hong or Security Merchants, expressly licensed by the Chinese Government to deal with Europeans. Their number is |