PREFACE. 
I have endeavoured to show that its export trade 
is capable of being greatly increased, particularly 
in those staple articles of tea and silk, which have 
now become almost necessaries of life amongst 
ourselves. 
The Agriculture of the country was carefully 
examined ; and, as it is in many respects some- 
what remarkable, a full description of it has been 
given in the following pages. I have also ven- 
tured to make a few observations on our political 
relations with this extraordinary people, which 
may be of some interest at the present time. 
Most of the illustrations were kindly sketched 
for me by Dr. Dickson of China. I am also 
indebted to my fellow-passenger, Dr. Barton, for 
some views in the Inland Sea, and for that of 
Castle Island, Cape Grotto. 
When I had finished my work in Japan, the 
Chinese war had been brought to a successful 
termination, and I was enabled to visit the new 
ports of Chefoo and Tien-tsin, on the Gulf of 
Pe-chele, and also the capital ciiy of Peking 
itself, and the mountains which lie beyond it. 
In the concluding chapters of the work I have 
sought to give a faithful description of this part 
of my travels over a country which, until the 
last war, was almost as little known to Europeans 
as Japan itself. Mr. Wyndham,of H.M. Legation 
