490 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



I China. 



them. The curious pretend to be always able to distinguish a shell taken up 

 with the iislj alive, from one tbund on the shores ; they call the first a living, 

 the second a dead shell ; and say that the colours are always much fainter in 

 the dead shells. When the shells have laid long dead on the shores, they 

 are subject to many injuries, of which the being eaten by sea-worms is not 

 die least ; age renders the finest shells livid or dead in their colours. Besides 

 the imperfections arising from age and sickness in the fish, shells are subject 

 to other deformities, such as morbid cavities, or proturberances in parts 

 where there should be none. When the shell is valuable, these faults may 

 be hid, and much added to the beauty of the specimen, without at all 

 injuring it as an object of natural history. A shell that has a smooth 

 surface, and a natural dull polish, need only to be rubbed with the hand, or 

 with a piece of chamois leather, with some fine rotton-stone, and it will 

 become of a perfectly bright and fine polish. 



Silks, wrought. — China wrought silks are of numerous sorts, cheap and 

 good. In chusing them, care should be taken that they are received dry, 

 or else they will mildew and spoil, as they are sold by weight, and are often 

 damped to make them heavier. The fineness and price are generally agreed 

 upon by muster. They should not have too much gum or congee in them, 

 which increases their weight, and makes the silk lie close, whereby the 

 fineness of it is not so well seen, and it always mildews them. A fine limber 

 silk, clear of knots, knobs, and uneven threads, fine and glossy on the back, 

 as well as on the right side, is the best. The pieces should be unrolled and 

 measured, as they will sometimes want a yard or two in length, and be of 

 two or three different colours. 



The tonnage of different sorts of silks is calculated as follows ; — 



Taflaties of all sorts 38 covids long, equal to 15 yards, 2 covids, 2 punts 

 broad, is equal to f yard, of which 609 pieces make a ton. Of gorgoroons, 

 paduasoys, poisees of all sorts, goshees, and bed damasks, 18 yards long, 

 and 2 covids broad, equal to | of a yard ; of these 592 pieces make a ton. 



Handkerchiefs 40 covids long and 2 broad, equal to ~ of a yard ; of 

 these, 666 pieces make a ton. 



Ditto, 44 ditto, equal to 17-$, yards, and 2 covids 2 punts broad, equal 

 to £ of a yard ; of these 454 pieces make a ton. 



Silk, haw. — China may be said to be the country of silk, of which it 

 seems to be an inexhaustible source. It furnishes large quantities to the 

 neighbouring nations and to Europe, and also clothing for the greater part 

 of the inhabitants ; there are very few, except the lowest orders, but what 

 are clad in silk garments. 



The silk produced m China is of various qualities ; the best is from 



