CHINA. 



117 



of 1873, entirely recovered. The total area 

 of China is now roughly estimated at about 

 4,700,000 square miles, of which 1,300,000 be- 

 long to China proper and the remainder to 

 the several dependencies. China proper is 

 very densely peopled, the population amount- 

 ing in 1812, according to an official census, to 

 367,000,000 ; in 1842, to 414,000,000 ; and in 

 1852, to 450,000,000, or 347 inhabitants per 

 square mile. Since 1852, the population is be- 

 lieved to have somewhat decreased in conse- 

 quence of the bloody civil wars, and famines ; 

 and in 1872 it was estimated at 420,000,000. 

 The dependencies of China, embracing Man- 

 tchooriu, Mongolia, Thibet, and Corea, though 

 their area is nearly double that of China, have 

 a population of only about 26,000,000. 



The public revenue is mostly derived from 

 three sources, namely, customs, licenses, and 

 a tax upon land; but the receipts from cus- 

 toms alone are made known. The customs 

 duties full more upon exports than imports; 



their total produce at the treaty ports amount- 

 ed, in 1871, to 11,216,000 Haikuantaels (1 tael 

 = 8 francs, or $1.52). China has, as yet, no 

 foreign debt ; it is not known whether the 

 Government has raised, or is responsible for, 

 loans contracted at home. 



The latest reports of the United States con- 

 suls in the treaty ports give the following com- 

 mercial intelligence on the imports, exports, 

 and navigation of some of the ports: Arnoy, 

 value entered of imports for the year ending 

 September, 1871, $7,488,935; exports, includ- 

 ing cost and charges, $6,376,875 ; entries, 529 

 vessels (25 American), of 208,972 tons; clear- 

 ances, 629 vessels (24 American), of 210,287 

 tons. Tamsui and Kelung, imports for year 

 ending September, 1871, $1,168,875; exports, 

 $745,352; entries, 84 vessels (4 American), of 

 27,501 tons; clearances, 76 vessels (4 Ameri- 

 can), of 24,622 tons. Taiwanfoo and Tal-ao, 

 imports for the year ending September, 1871, 

 $2,062,971; exports, $1,523,245; entries, 145 





THE GREAT CHINESE WALL. 



vessels (10 American), of 31,443 tons; clear- 

 ances, 145 vessels (10 American), of 31,443 

 tons. Canton, for the year ending September, 

 1^72, entries, 980 vessels, of 432,324 tons; 

 clearances, 980 vessels, of 428,899 tons ; the 

 exports certified at the United States consul- 

 ate were valued at $1,903,557. The trade of 

 Canton with the United States yielded, during 

 the year ending September, 1872, a consider- 

 able aggregate increase, as contrasted with the 

 preceding twelve months. Foo-chow, for the 

 year ending September, 1871, imports, $5,598,- 

 exports, $24,261,290 ; exports to the 

 United States, consisting almost entirely of 

 tens, $3,160,533, showing an increase over the 

 previous year, of $816.587. New-chwang, for 

 the year ending September, 1872, imports, 

 $8,701,096; exports, $3,360,654; entries, 203 



vessels (19 American, 81 British, 122 German), 

 of 85,207 tons; clearances, 263 vessels (19 

 American), of 85,207 tons. Ningpo, for the 

 year ending September, 1871, entries, 426 ves- 

 sels (217 American), of 314,134 tons; clear- 

 ances, 435 vessels (217 American), of 316,299 

 tons. Tien-tfin, for the year ending Decem- 

 ber, 1871, entries of American vessels, 86, with 

 a total tonnage of 52,586 tons; clearances, 

 86 vessels ; imports, $16,291,390 ; exports, 

 $2,725,996. 



The trade formerly carried on between the 

 port of New-chwang and the town of Tung- 

 wang-chnn, on the Corean border, and strictly 

 prohibited by the Corean Government after its 

 difficulties with the French, has never recom- 

 menced. Although New-chwang is situated 

 but about 150 miles from the boundary, scarce- 



