C II I N A. 1751. 250 



When the whole naval force of the Chlnefs 

 Emperor is eftimated at 9909 fail by his fub- 

 je&s, a great part mud be at Canton : but at 

 that place are only great boats, which would 

 fink with ten twelve pounders. Nor are any 

 larger fliips of war required, while the Cbinefe 

 government has no intentions of making con- 

 quers by fea. 



Five or fix of the above-mentioned boats 

 lie about the Europew fhips, to prevent afts of 

 violence and fmuggling. Their arms are 

 fliieldsof the ufeful bamboo, little fabres, haj- 

 berts, bows, pikes of a tremendous form, for 

 their point is almolt a yard long, and exactly 

 like a Wcjhogcthic knife, and little flings which 

 ft and on a kind of bow. 



It is however very amufing (at leaf! for a 

 perfon that finds pleafure in obferving the dif- 

 pofitions of men, and their univerfal vanity) 

 to fee fome place-men row by each other : 

 every one who goes up or down the river has 

 his flag and his diftin&ion, by which the others 

 immediately know his rank : and if he who 

 lies in the river, or palfes by, is of a lower 

 quality, he mult beat his gungung firfl, to 

 S 2 which 



