43 s 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779. appear to me, in the lealt, exaggerated; and if it be allowed, 
- ta '" 1 er ‘. the number of inhabitants in the Sampanes alone (for each 
of them contains one family), mull amount to nearly three 
times the number fuppofed by M. Sonnerat to be in the 
whole city. 
The military force of the province, of which Canton is 
the capital, amounts to fifty thoufand men. It is faid that 
twenty thoufand are ftationed in and about the city ; and, - 
as a proof of this, I was allured, that, on the occafion of 
fome dillurbance that had happened at Canton, thirty thou¬ 
fand men were drawn together within the fpace of a few 
hours. 
The llreets are long, and molt of them narrow and 
irregular; but well paved with large ftones; and, for the 
moft part, kept exceedingly clean. The houfes are built 
of brick, one ftory high, having generally two or three 
courts backward, in which are the ware-houfes for mer¬ 
chandize, and, in the houfes within the city, the apart¬ 
ments for the women. A very few of the meanelt fort are 
built of wood. 
The houfes belonging to the European fadtors, are built 
on an handfome quay, with a regular facade of two llories 
toward the river, and difpofed, within, partly after the Eu¬ 
ropean, and partly after the Chinefe manner. Adjoining to 
thefe are a number of houfes, belonging to the Chinefe, 
and hired out to the commanders of Ihips, and merchants, 
who make an occafional ftay. As no European is allowed 
to bring his wife to Canton, the Englilh fupercargoes live 
together, at a common table, which is kept by the com¬ 
pany, and have each a feparate apartment, confifting of 
three or four rooms. The time of their refidence feldom 
exceeds eight months annually; and as they are pretty con¬ 
stantly 
