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Turkey in Asia: China

The empire of China, with its important dependencies of Mongolia, Mantchooria, Chinese Turkistan, Koko-Nor, and Tibet, occupies an area of 5,000,০০০ sq. m., or about one third of Asia and one-tenth of the habitable globe. China proper, or the middle kingdom, extends from long. 98° to 123º E., and from lat. 18º to 43° It has a coast N., and includes 18 provinces with an area of nearly 1,300,000 sq. m. line of 2500 m., indented by numerous gulfs and bays, affording excellent harborage. In no country has so much attention been paid to the construction of canals, which, in the absence of railroads, and even of decent wagon roads, are the only means of internal communication. The climate of this immense empire is greatly diversified, that of Shanghai being semi-tropical, while the N. districts have short summers and • long, cold winters. As a rule, however, the climate is favorable for agricultural operations, and the soil is fertile and well cultivated. The population is estimated at 350,000,000. The middle kingdom is more thickly peopled than any other country in the world. The principal food is rice, which grows in every division. Wheat barley, corn, millet, oats, and other cereals flourish in many parts, and the sugar-cane, sughum, tobacco and tea plant are cultivated all over the S. and central provinces. The bamboo, palm, chestnut, pine, and many other trees grow in the lowlands, and oak cedar, walnut and camphor trees flourish in the mountains. An immense number of mulberry trees furnish food for silkworms, whose culture is one of the leading industries of China. The fruit trees common in Europe are supplemented by the plantain, orange, lemon, cocoanut, mango, pine-apple, persimmon, and many other varieties peculiar to S. climates. The rainfall is large near Canton and Shanghai, but very light in the N. and W. There are plenty of wild animals, all kinds of birds, and the rivers are full of fish, the artificial propagation of which has been practised by the Chinese for many centuries. Gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, iron, coal, petroleum, quicksilver, sulphur, and salt, and precious stones are found. The internal commerce of China is immense, and a very extensive export trade is carried on. They are, however, principally engaged in agriculture. The provinces are as follows: Che- Kiang, 39,150 sq. m.; Kiang-su, 44,500 sq. m.; Ngan-whi, 46,461 sq. m.; Fo-kien, 53,480 sq. m.; Shan-se, 55,268 sq. m.; Chi-li, 58,949 sq. m; Quei-chow, 64,554 sq. m.; Shan-tung, 65,104 sq. m.; Ho-nan, 65,104 sq. m.; Shen-se, 67,400 sq. m.; Hoo-pe, 70,450 sq. m.; Kiang-si, 72,176 sq. m.; Hoo-nan, 74,320 sq. m.; Ouang Si, 78,250 sq. m.; Ouang-tung, 79,456 sq. m.; Kan-su, 86,608 sq. m.; Yun-nan, 107,969 sq. m.; Se-chuen, 166,880 sq. m.

RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. - The national religion is Buddhism, but Confucius who lived about 600 в. c., and Lao-tze, born half a century earlier, taught religious doctrines that have many believers. Jesuit missionaries have existed since the 16th century, there are Protestant religions, and Mohammedanism has some adherents. The governing power is held by an Emperor, who is assisted by the Interior Council Chamber, usually selected from the higher nobility, whose number is 4-2 of Chinese and 2 of Tartar origin-besides two assistants from the great college. Imperial governors and executive boards govern the provinces, and there is a bureaucracy of immense proportions, every individual official, from the highest to the lowest, making up by extortion and the acceptance of bribes for the deficiency in his irregularly-paid salary. Nothing authentic is known about the revenues of the general government. The Chinese army at its full strength is about 1,000,000 men. The navy consists of three ironclads, seven cruisers, 35 ironclad gunboats, and nine torpedo vessels.

TIBET.-Tibet, or Thibet, a nominal dependency of China, extends from the W. boundaries of the Middle Kingdom to Cashmere, and has the Himalayan mountains on the S. and Kuen-lun range on its N. border. It lies between lat. 27º and 38° N. and long. 78° and 104º E., and has an estimated area of from 630,000 to 750,000 sq. m. It forms the S.-E. division of the great central plateau, and consists of one vast arid plain, with a mean elevation of not less than 10,000 ft. The inhabitants are of Mongolian origin, and the language resembles Chinese. The soil is poor, but the Tibetans are industrious, and have a considerable trade with China, exporting woolen goods, shawls, drugs, and some of the precious metals. It is estimated that there are 5,000,000 inhabitants, nearly all of whom profess Lamaism. The sacred city of Lhassa is the capital, and the native ruler, the Dalai Lama, resides there.

COREA. The peninsula of Corea, which, although governed by rulers of its own, is a dependency of China, has an area of at least 90,000 sq. m., and a population of over 8,000,000. Little is known of its government, resources, or history. In many respects the people resemble the Chinese, but more nearly resemble the Japanese, and the languages differ widely. The Coreans are Buddhists, and the ancient institution of caste is in full force. They are greatly opposed to the introduction of Christianity. Corea is an eminently mountainous country, and is plentifully supplied with rivers. Rice, wheat, millet, rye, tobacco, cotton, hemp, and ginseng are the leading agricultural products, whilst almost all the fruits of Central Europe are to be obtained, but their quality, owing to the humidity of the climate, is greatly deteriorated. Minerals, as gold, silver, copper, iron, and coal are said to be common, but gold and silver mining is strictly prohibited, the government restricting it to its own requirements. The copper mines are neglected, and Japanese copper is imported.

MANCHOORIA. - The vast territory known as Manchooria lies to the N.-Ε. of China proper, and is a dependency of the empire. Some part of the S. is cultivated, but the larger proportion of the country is an uninhabited wilderness, with great forests filled with wild animals. The population is sparse and scattered, and the people are the descendants of the tribes which conquered the Middle Kingdom in the 17th century.

MONGOLIA. -This extensive plateau to the N. and W. of China, and a dependency of that empire, has an area of

1,250,000 sq. m., and is inhabited by nomadic tribes, estimated at about 2,000,000. It is supposed to be rich in minerals, and the soil is very poor. The religious system is similar to that of Tibet, and the people acknowledge the spiritual supremacy of the Grand Lama at Lassa. The trade between China and Russia passes through Mongolia.

JAPAN.