374 FOREIGN TRADE. [Cuar. XX. 
little or nothing had been done here in the way of 
trade, and I cannot help thinking that its advan- 
tages in this respect have been greatly over-rated. 
It is never likely to be a place of as great im- 
portance to England as the more northerly port of 
Shanghae; and for this very simple reason — the 
physical nature of the country is against it. The 
whole of the surrounding region is mountainous ; 
the rivers are rapid and in some places shallow, 
and are often liable to rain-floods. There are con- 
sequently many impediments in the way of a free 
transmission of goods into the interior of the 
country. oo-chow-foo was supposed to possess 
great advantages, owing to its being near the Bohea 
or black tea district; and it was thought at one 
time that it might form the great emporium for 
the export of this article to Europe and America. 
This opinion, however, has hitherto proved falla- 
cious, and I believe it is now ascertained that the 
black teas can be brought more readily to Shang- 
hae or Ningpo than to Foo-chow-foo; especially 
since the Bohea teas have sunk in estimation, and 
other districts to the northward, having taken the 
place of the Bohea hills, are now furnishing the 
black teas of commerce. 
In addition to all these disadvantages the natives 
seem a lawless and turbulent race, having all the 
characteristics of those in the Canton province, 
and, like them, being inveterate in their hatred of 
foreigners, and full of conceit as to their own im- 
portance and power. Several very serious dis- 
