orise 
on 8 
—— 
FOR 
These have succeeded well. For two or three years 
indeed, on account of the high price of barley, 
thediima 
- Various other improvements have’ of late years been’ 
carried on, which have contributed to the embellish- 
ment of the town, while they evince the public spirit 
of the inhabitants. these we may mention a 
botanic garden, the work of the late Mr Don, 
who was well known, and justly celebrated in the bo- 
tanic world.*; One of his sons is said to inherit his 
nius, which had also received some culture attider' hiv 
in 1790, which accommodates from 2000 to 3000 hearers ; 
and last (1814) it was ornamented with a 
150 feet high, ich arrests the eye of the traveller in 
every direction, and is deservedly admired as a very ele- 
gant structure. The ion of the town and coun- 
ish is about eee eerie oes 
a 
8 
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ll 
etal 
prosperity which 
ALP. 
FORF TURE. See Law. 
FORGE. See Iron. 
FORMIC Acip. _ See Cuemistry, 
FORMOSA, called by the Chinese 
ives Kaboski and 7 
a 
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3 
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479 
Japan, was wrecked on the coast, and brought the first Formosa. 
FOR 
accounts of the country to Europe. About the year 
1620, a Japanese squadron left a party on the island, in 
the view of returning to effect its subjugation ; but, in 
the mean time, a Dutch ship having touched there in 
its course from Japan, it ap to be so eligible a 
station for a commercial establishment, that they built 
fort Zealand in 1634, and thus secured ion of the 
principal harbour.” In 1661 they were driven from the 
settlement by the celebrated Chinese pirate, Tchin- 
tchi-korig, or Coxinga, (See ‘Cura, Vol. VI. p. 233, 
who made himself master of the western part, an 
held the sovereignty of the island during his life ; but, 
in 1682, his grandson Tchin-ke-sun, submitted to the 
authority of the Emperor Kang-hee ; and the island, 
since that period, has been tributary to China. By a 
chain of mountains running from north to south, it is 
divided into two parts, called the western and eastern 
inces, the latter of which is still occupied entirely 
y the native Indians, and the former contains the set- 
tlements of the Chinese. It is subject to the Viceroy 
of Fokien, but a governor with a large detachment, 
generally of 10,000 men, resides constantly on the 
island. Tai-ouan, the capital city and the seat of go- 
vernment, is sittiated on the south-west coast in 23° 
North Lat. and 3° $2’ 50" East Long. from Pekin. It 
place, full of trade, and equal to 
e first class in China. ama 
straight, about 40 feet broad, and some 
e in | 3 but they are badly 
ilt of clay and bamboo, 
account of the excessive 
heat of the sun, the streets are covered, during seven or 
eight months of the year, with awnings, which leave 
nothing to be seen but the ae on either side, in 
which various kinds of merchandize, ranged with the 
greatest order and show, present a rich appearance to 
; poe many) or The town has no walls or 
, unless rb ree, built by the 
protected by four i-bastions, may be 
: asa fort. The eat fe ite en- 
becoming daily more difficult. e city is 
in every necessary of life and article of traf- , 
i cher rigor: apr, hice and In- 
, and Eu ; 
as ion ln oy 
eet 
estern ince contains, besides the capital, a 
number of poss! why tate and populous villages, in: which 
the Chinese permit none of the native inhabitants to 
reside pos 3s them, except those who act in the ca~ 
pacity of slaves or domestics. It appears that the Chi- 
nese lation of the island would increase with great 
rapidity, i if the ment would permit free emigra- 
tion from other parts of the empire ; but ission to 
new settlers is with great caution, and only 
upon the cay ang of a considerable sum for the proper 
passports, reason is, that the Tartar emp 
sive of a revolt among their Chinese 
$ proximity of this island to China, 
would render it a favourable field for the operations of 
malcontents. The district, which the Chinese possess, 
consists of extensive and fertile plains, watered by nu- 
merous rivulets, which flow from the mountains towards 
the east, The climate is temperate, except when the 
ay 
| 
i 
FL 
at 
4 
thousand, in allusion probably to the number of small islands in its vicinity ; and Formosa was a 
mame given by the Portuguese, on account of, the beautiful appearance of the country. 
