Portugal, Spain, France, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, England, and the United States, share in the commerce of Canton.

The Portuguese ships led the way to China in the year 1576, but, difficulties occurring, they were restricted to Macao, to which place they have ever since been limited, excepting at short intervals, when they have been allowed to visit other ports.

The Chinese annals say, that in 1550, the Portuguese borrowed Haon-king-gaon, (Macao,) which is situated in the midst of dashing waves, where immense fish rise up, and again plunge into the deep! the clouds hover over it, and the prospect is really beautiful—that they (the Portuguese) passed over the ocean, myriads of miles, in a wonderful manner; and small and great ranged themselves under the renovating influence imparted by the glorious sun of the celestial empire.

Spanish vessels enjoy greater privileges than those of any other nation: they trade at Macao, a privilege denied to all other foreigners, excepting the Portuguese; at Canton, and at Amoy.

The Falanke (French) reached Canton, in 1520; they entered the Tiger’s mouth (the Bogue) abruptly, but were driven away, because the loud report of their guns frightened the inhabitants. Their trade has never been very extensive, though it has continued to the present time. During the few past years, they have employed annually, two, three, or four ships in this trade. In the seasons 1832-33, there were three French ships in port.

The Ho-lan-kwo-jin (Dutch) arrived at China, in the year 1601: they inhabited, in ancient times, a wild territory, and arrived at Macao in two or three large ships. Their clothes and hair were red, they had tall bodies, and blue, deeply sunken eyes, their feet were one cubit and two tenths long, and they frightened the people with their strange appearance; notwithstanding tribute was brought by them, they had, in commencing trade, to struggle with many difficulties; and their commerce, during two centuries, has fluctuated exceedingly. Its present prospects are improving. A few years since, they had only three or four ships, annually employed in this trade. During the year 1832, seventeen, from Holland and Java, arrived in China. The value of imports, was four hundred and fifty-seven thousand, one hundred and twenty-eight dollars. The exports amounted to six hundred and fifty-six thousand, six hundred and forty-five dollars, exclusive of the private trade of the commanders.

Sweden has never, we believe, in one season, sent more than two or three ships to China. The trade opened in 1732: during the first fifteen subsequent years, twenty-two ships were despatched to China, of which four were lost.

Peter Osbeck, who was here in 1750-51, as chaplain of the Prince Charles, a Swedish East Indiaman, relates, that there were at that season, eighteen European ships in port: one Danish, two Swedish, two French, four Dutch, and nine English. For the last fifteen years, no Swedish ships have visited China.

The Danes preceded the Swedes in their visits to China, but we could not ascertain the date of the year in which their trade began. During twelve years, commencing in 1732, they sent thirty-two ships to China, twenty-seven of which only returned. Their flag was called Hwang-ke, “the imperial flag,” which name it has retained to this day. Their trade has never been extensive, though it has continued to the present time.

The Russian trading vessels are excluded from the Chinese ports; their trade being confined to the northern provinces, by land.

The English did not reach the coast of China, till about 1635. The whole number of arrivals, during the year 1832, was eighty-seven; ten of this number performed two or three voyages from China. Of the whole number, nine were from London, and sixty-two from ports in India. The vessels brought to China, broadcloths, long-ells, camlets, British calicoes, worsted and cotton yarn, cotton piece goods, Bombay, Madras and Bengal cotton, opium, sandal-wood, black-wood, rattans, betel-nut, putchuck, pepper, cloves, saltpetre, cochineal, olibanum skins, ivory, amber, pearls, cornelians, watches and clocks, lead, iron, tin, quicksilver, shark’s fins, fishmaws, stock-fish, &c. In return, they were laden with teas, silk, sugar, silk piece goods, cassia, camphor, vermilion, rhubarb, alum, musk and various other articles. The value of these exports and imports is as follows:—

In 1828-29, imports, twenty-one millions, three hundred and thirteen thousand, five hundred and twenty-six dollars; exports, nineteen millions, three and sixty thousand, six hundred and twenty-five dollars: in 1829-30, imports, twenty-two millions, nine hundred and thirty-one thousand, three hundred and seventy-two dollars; exports, twenty-one millions, two hundred and fifty-seven thousand, two hundred and fifty-seven dollars: in 1830-31, imports, twenty-one millions, nine hundred sixty-one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-four dollars; exports, twenty millions, four hundred and forty-six thousand, six hundred and ninety-nine dollars: in 1831-32, imports, twenty millions, five hundred and thirty-six thousand, two hundred and twenty-seven dollars; exports, seventeen millions, seven hundred and sixty-seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-six dollars: in 1832-33, imports, twenty-two millions, three hundred and four thousand, seven hundred and fifty-three dollars; exports, eighteen millions, three hundred and thirty-two thousand, seven hundred and sixty dollars.

The American trade to China, is of very recent origin; it commenced after the revolutionary war. The first recorded facts which we are able to obtain, carry back the trade only to the season of 1784-5, in which two American ships were sent, laden, to Canton. In their return-cargo, they carried eight hundred and eighty thousand, one hundred pounds of tea: in the following season, but one vessel was sent, which exported six hundred and ninety-five thousand pounds: in 1786-7, there were five American ships, engaged in the trade: they exported one million, one hundred and eighty-one thousand, eight hundred and sixty pounds of this plant. One of these ships, was the “Hope:” other ships, which were in port during this, and the following season, were the “Washington,” “Asia,” and “Canton;” the last two, from Philadelphia.

The number of American vessels, which arrived in China, during the seasons of 1832-33, ending in June, 1833, was fifty-nine. Some of these ships did not, however, take in cargoes at this port.

These vessels brought quicksilver, lead, iron, South American copper, spelter, tin plates, Turkey opium, ginseng, rice, broadcloths, camlets, chintzes, long ells, long cloths, cambrics, domestics, velvets, bombazettes, handkerchiefs, linen, cotton drillings, yarn and prints, land and sea otter-skins, fox-skins, seal-skins, pearl-shells, sandal-wood, cochineal, musical-boxes, clocks, watches, and sundry other articles.

In return, they were laden with teas, silks, cassia, camphor, rhubarb, vermilion, china-ware, &c. These articles were carried to the United States, Europe, South America, Sandwich islands, and Manila. The following statement will afford some idea of the progress in that trade, and show its present amount:—

In 1805-6, imports, five millions, three hundred and twenty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight dollars; exports, five millions, one hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars: in 1815-16, imports, two millions, five hundred and twenty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars; exports, four millions, two hundred and twenty thousand dollars: in 1825-26, imports, three millions, eight hundred and forty-three thousand, seven hundred and seventeen dollars; exports, four millions, three hundred and sixty-three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-eight dollars: in 1830-31, imports, four millions, two-hundred and twenty-three thousand, four hundred and seventy-six dollars; exports, four millions, three hundred and forty-four thousand, five hundred and forty-eight dollars: in 1831-32, imports, five millions, five hundred and thirty-one thousand, eight hundred and six dollars; exports, five millions, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one dollars: in 1832-33, imports, eight millions, three hundred and sixty-two thousand, nine hundred and seventy-one dollars; exports, eight millions, three hundred and seventy two thousand, one hundred and seventy-five dollars.

It appears, from the foregoing statements, that the China trade, employing, annually, one hundred and forty first-rate vessels, and a large amount of capital, constitutes a very important branch of modern commerce: this trade has always been carried on, and still exists, under circumstances peculiar to itself: it is secured by no commercial treaties, regulated by no stipulated rules: mandates, and edicts not a few, there are on “record,” but these all emanate from one party; still, the trade lives, and, by that imperial favour which extends to “the four seas,” flourishes and enjoys no small degree of protection.

All vessels arriving on the coast of China, are, unless destined for the harbour of Macao, or the port of Canton, considered by the Chinese authorities, as intruders, and as such, must instantly depart. Year after year, however, vessels have found a safe and convenient anchorage at Lintin and its vicinity, where a large amount of business, including nearly the whole of the opium-trade, is transacted.

Those vessels that are to enter the Bogue, must procure a permit, and a pilot, at the Chinese custom-house, near Macao: the pilots, having received license to act, must proceed on board immediately, and conduct the vessel to the anchorage, at Whampoa.

As soon as the ship is officially reported at Canton, arrangements are made for discharging and receiving cargo, the whole business of which is sometimes accomplished in three weeks, but usually, it extends to two or three months. Before this business can proceed, the consignee, or the owner of the ship, must obtain for her a security merchant, a linguist, and a comprador; and a declaration must be given, except by those of the East India Company, that she has no opium on board. The security merchant, or individual who gives security to government for the payment of her duties, and for the conduct of the crew, must be a member of the co-hong; this company is composed at present, of twelve individuals, usually called hong-merchants: some of these men rank among the most wealthy and respectable inhabitants of Canton: they pay largely for the privilege of entering the co-hong: when they have once joined that body, they are seldom allowed to retire from the station, and, at all times, are liable to heavy exactions, from the provincial government. Formerly, the whole, or nearly the whole foreign trade, was in their hands: within a few years, it has extended to others who are not included in the co-hong; and who are commonly called outside merchants.

The linguists, so called, hold the rank of interpreters: they procure permits for delivering and taking in cargo; transact all business at the custom-house, keep account of the duties, &c.

The comprador provides stores, and all the necessary provisions for the ship, while she remains in port.

The port-charges consist of measurement-duty, cumshaw, pilotage, linguist and comprador’s fees. The measurement-duty varies: on a vessel of three hundred tons, it is about six hundred and fifty dollars, and on a vessel of about thirteen hundred tons, it is about three thousand dollars: the tonnage, however, affords no fixed criterion for the amount of measurement-duty. But, for all ships, the cumshaw, pilotage, linguist and comprador’s fees, are the same, amounting to two thousand, five hundred and seventy-three dollars.

Those vessels that enter the port, laden only with rice, are not required to pay the measurement-duty and cumshaw, but they are liable to other irregular fees, amounting to nearly one thousand dollars.

The management and general supervision of the port-charges, are intrusted to an imperial commissioner, who is sent hither from the court of Peking. In Chinese, he is called hae-kwan-keen-tuh, but, by foreigners, he is usually styled the hoppo: his regular salary is about three thousand taels per annum, but his annual income is supposed to be no less than one hundred thousand dollars.

The arrangements between the native and foreign merchants of Canton for the transaction of business are, on the whole, convenient and pretty well calculated to promote despatch, and to secure confidence in the respective parties.

The Chinese merchants have a well-earned reputation as shrewd dealers: they have little confidence in each other; every contract of importance must be “fixed,” and made sure by the payment of a stipulated sum: but they place the most unlimited confidence in the integrity of their foreign customers.

Among the outside merchants the trade is very limited, and their number being unlimited, there is often much competition between them. The whole of the East India company’s business, a large portion of the English private trade, and that of other foreigners, are confined to the hong-merchants and those who transact business in connexion with them.

The establishments of the principal hong-merchants are extensive; they have numerous and convenient ware-houses in which they store goods, and from whence export-cargoes are conveyed, in lighters, to the shipping at Whampoa.

The names of the hong-merchants are Howqua, Mowqua, Puankhequa, Goqua, Fatqua, Kingqua, Sunshing, Mingqua, Saoqua, and Punhoqua. The Rev. Robert Morrison, D. D., is Chinese translator to the British East India company, and Mr. G. R. Morrison, his son, to those termed the outside British merchants. The four linguists are named, Atom, Achow, Atung, and Akang.

The foreign factories, the situation of which has already been noticed, are neat and commodious buildings: the plot of ground on which they stand is circumscribed by narrow limits, extending about sixty rods from east to west, and forty rods from north to south: it is owned, in common with most of the factories, by the hong-merchants.

The factories are called shih-san-hang, “the thirteen factories;” with the exception of two or three narrow streets, they form a solid block; each factory extends in length, through the whole breadth of the block, and has its own proper name which, if not always appropriate, is intended to be indicative of good fortune: the first, commencing on the east, is e-ho-hang, the factory of “justice and peace;” it communicates with the city ditch: the second is the Dutch; it is called paon-ho-hong, “the factory that ensures tranquillity:” Hog-lane separates this from the fourth, which is called fung-tae-hang, “the great and affluent or chow-chow factory;” it derives the latter name from its mixture of inhabitants, viz.:—Parsees, Moormen, &c.: the fifth, being the old English factory, is named bung-shan-hong: the sixth, the Swedish factory, is called suy-hang: the seventh, commonly called the imperial factory, ma-ying-hang: the eighth, paon-shun-hang, or “the precious and prosperous factory:” the ninth, the American factory, is termed kwang-yuen-hang, “the factory of wide fountains.” A broad street, called China-street, separates kwang-yuen-hang from the tenth factory, which is occupied by one of the hong merchants: the eleventh is the French factory: the twelfth, the Spanish factory: the thirteenth, and last, is the Danish factory. The twelfth and thirteenth are separated by a street occupied by Chinese merchants, generally called New China-street.

Each factory is divided into three, four, or more houses, of which each factor occupies one or more, according to circumstances. Brick or granite is the material used in the erection of these buildings, which are two stories high, and present a moderately substantial front. They form, with the foreign flags which wave above them, a pleasing contrast to the national banner and architecture of the celestial empire.

Besides the British East India company’s establishment, there are nine British merchants and agents, seven American, one French, and one Dutch. Between Canton, Macao, and on board the stationary ships at Linting, there are distributed one hundred and forty residents, exclusive of twenty-five belonging to the East India company’s establishment, viz.: Sixty-three British, thirty-one Asiatic British subjects, twenty Americans, eleven Portuguese, three Dutch, four Danish, three Swedish, three Spanish, one French, and one Genoese.

Messrs. Markwick and Lane keep a European bazar, and the British hotel is kept by C. Markwick in the imperial hong; the European ware-house and hotel is kept by Robert Edwards, in the American hong.

Two newspapers are printed in the English language, the “Canton Register,” and the “Chinese Courier;” the first, half-monthly, and the second, weekly, accompanied by price-currents. There is also, printed in English, a very useful and praiseworthy work, called the “Chinese Repository,” to which I am indebted for a considerable portion of the information relative to Canton, its commerce, &c.

The difficulty, which formerly existed in visiting and communicating with Macao, Linting, and Cap-shuy-moon, is now happily removed by the establishment of two excellent cutters, under British colours, which have very convenient accommodations. Chinese boats also may be had in abundance, either for the outer ship channel to or from Linting, Cap-shuy-moon, or Macao, or the inner passage to and from Macao, and which foreign boats are not allowed to use.

The style of living in China (we refer to foreign society) is similar to that of India, except that here man is deprived of that “help” appointed to him by a divine decree, which no human authority can justly abrogate, and enjoyed by him in every land save this.

A gentleman, fitting up an establishment in Canton, must first obtain a comprador; this is an individual permitted, by special license, to act as head-servant; to him belong the general superintendance of domestic household affairs, the procuring of other servants, purchasing provisions, &c., according to the wishes of his employer. Visiters to Canton usually speak in high terms of the domestic arrangements of the residents.

This place presents few objects of much interest to the mere man of pleasure. Considering the latitude, the climate is agreeable and healthy; provisions of good quality and great variety are abundant; but the want of a purer air, and wider range, than are enjoyed in the midst of the densely populated metropolis, to which the residents are here confined, often makes them impatient to leave the provincial city.

The manufactories and trades of Canton are numerous: there is no machinery, properly so called, consequently there are no extensive manufacturing establishments similar to those which, in modern times, and under the power of machinery, have grown up in Europe. The Chinese know nothing of the economy of time. Much of the manufacturing business required to supply the commercial houses of Canton, is performed at Fuh-shan, a large town situated a few miles westward of the city; still, the number of hands employed, and the amount of labour performed here, are by no means inconsiderable.

There are annually about seventeen thousand persons, men, women, and children, engaged in weaving silk; their looms are simple, and their work is generally executed with neatness. The number of persons engaged in manufacturing cloth of all kinds, is about fifty thousand; when the demand is pressing for work, the number of labourers is considerably increased; the workmen occupy about two thousand, five hundred shops, averaging, usually, twenty in each.

We have heard it said, that some of the Chinese females, who devote their time to embroidering the choicest of the fabrics, secure a profit of twenty and sometimes even twenty-five dollars per month. Shoemakers are numerous and support an extensive trade, the number of workmen being about four thousand, two hundred. The number of those who work in brass, wood, iron, stone, and various other materials, is likewise large. Those who engage in each of these occupations form, to a certain degree, a separate community, having their distinct laws and rules for the regulation of business.

The book-trade of Canton is important, but we have not been able to obtain particulars in relation to its extent. The barbers form a separate department, and no one is allowed to perform the duties of tonsor until he has obtained a license.

According to their records, the number of this fraternity in Canton, at the present time, is seven thousand, three hundred!

There is another body of men, which we know not how to designate or describe; the medical community; which must not be passed over without notice. That these men command high respect and esteem whenever they show themselves skilled in their profession, there can be no doubt; it is generally admitted, also, that individuals do now and then, by long experience and observation, become able practitioners; but, as a community, they are anything rather than masters of the “healing art.” About two thousand of these “physicians” dwell in Canton.

No inconsiderable part of the multitude which composes the population of Canton lives in boats. There are officers appointed by government to regulate and control this portion of the city’s inhabitants. Every boat, of all the various sizes and descriptions that are seen here, is registered; and it appears that the whole number on the river, adjacent to the city, is eighty-four thousand. A great majority of these are tankea (egg-house) boats, called by some, sampans; these are generally not more than twelve or fifteen feet long, about six broad, and so low that a person can scarcely stand up in them: their covering, made of bamboo, is very light, and can be easily adjusted to the state of the weather. Whole families live in these boats, and in coops lashed on the outside of them they often rear large broods of ducks and chickens, designed to supply the city-markets. Passage-boats which daily move to and from the city-hamlets, ferry-boats which are constantly crossing and recrossing the river, huge canal-boats, laden with produce from the country, cruisers, pleasure-boats, &c. complete the list of these floating habitations, and present to the stranger a very interesting scene.

There has been considerable diversity of opinion in relation to the population of Canton. The division of the city which brings a part of it into Nan-hae, and a part into Pwang-yu, precludes the possibility of ascertaining the exact amount of population. The facts which we have brought into view in the preceding pages, perhaps will afford the best data for making an accurate estimate of the number of inhabitants in the city. There are, we have already seen, fifty thousand persons engaged in the manufacture of cloth, seven thousand, three hundred barbers, and four thousand, two hundred shoemakers; but these three occupations employing sixty-one thousand, five hundred individuals, do not, probably, include more than one fourth of the craftsmen in the city; allowing this to be the fact, the whole number of mechanics will amount to two hundred and forty-six thousand; these, we suppose, are a fourth part of the whole population, exclusive of those who live on the rivers. In each of the eighty-four thousand boats, there are not less, on an average, than three individuals; making a total of two hundred and forty-two thousand; if to them we add two hundred and forty-six thousand, (which is the number of mechanics,) the amount will be one million, two hundred and thirty-six thousand, as the probable number of inhabitants in Canton.

This number may possibly be incorrect; no one, however, who has had an opportunity of passing through the streets of the city, and viewing the multitudes that throng them, will think the estimate below one million.

It only remains to remark, briefly, in conclusion, the influence which Canton is exerting on the character and destinies of this empire. Intelligent natives admit that more luxury, dissipation, and crime, exist here, than in any other portion of the empire; they maintain, at the same time, that more enterprise, enlarged views, and general information, prevail among the higher class of the inhabitants of Canton, than are found in most of the other large cities; the bad qualities are the result of a thrifty commerce acting on a large population, in the absence of high moral principles; the good, which exist in a very limited degree, result from an intercourse with “distant barbarians.”

The contempt and hatred which the Chinese have often exhibited towards foreigners, and the indifference and disdain with which the nation has looked down upon every thing not its own, ought to be thoroughly reprobated; on the other hand, the feelings which foreigners have cherished, and the disposition and conduct which they have too frequently manifested towards this people, are such as never should have existed. Notwithstanding all these disadvantages, we think the intercourse between the Chinese and the people of the western world, beneficial to the former; and hitherto this intercourse has been purely commercial; science, literature, and all friendly and social offices, have been disregarded. We trust fervently, that such a period has departed, that men are beginning to feel they have moral obligations to discharge, and that they are bound by the most sacred ties to interest themselves in the intellectual, moral, and religious improvement of their various brethren in the distant nations of the earth.