Page images
PDF
EPUB

islands, the Pescadores islands of Europeans. From the excellent anchorage which its vicinity afforded for the ships which passed through the channel of Formosa, on their route from Hindostan to Japan, Amoy, from an early period, attracted the attention of European navigators, who wished to establish stations in this archipelago. The Portuguese, who for a long time traded with Ningpo, do not seem to have visited Amoy; but the Dutch, between the years 1620-1662, and the English, who had early effected a settlement at Formosa, selected this city as an emporium. After the Dutch were expelled from Formosa by the pirate, Coringa, the English retained free access to the harbour of Amoy until this town was taken possession of by the Manchoo conquerors, in the year 1681, and the English East India Company of that period deemed it advisable, with their four China vessels, to join the Portuguese at Macao. Notwithstanding this, in the year 1700, the three English trading vessels were always ordered to Amoy, when they were prevented, by adverse circumstances, from advancing as far as Ningpo and Chusan. Although the local authorities threw additional obstacles in the way of a free communication, the factories were not altogether abandoned until the year 1735; and, even in 1753, the English made fresh attempts to establish their trade on a more convenient footing in these parts, whence they had first brought tea to Europe; but, in the year 1757, the Emperor Kienlong, by a new edict, closed the ports of Ningpo, Chusan, and Amoy. To concentrate the foreign trade exclusively in Canton, where it was hoped that it might be more effectively controlled, the Chinese government laid such heavy duties on ships trading to the eastern harbour, that commerce was almost annihilated. Two ships were, indeed, allowed to touch at Amoy from the Manillas, but the Spaniards derived no great advantage from this privilege.

After this period, Lindsay and Gutzlaff were the first Europeans who revisited the harbour of Amoy, in the year 1832. They anchored half a league off the city, which lies on one of the most desolate coasts of the Chinese sea. It is deficient in all products for exportation, and this part of the district of Fookien is much indebted to the superabundance of the neighbouring island of Formosa, which may be called the granary of the province. Without Formosa, says Gutzlaff, the great mass of the population of Fookien would starve. Notwithstanding this poverty of the soil, Amoy is inhabited by the richest merchants, whose possessions extend far beyond Formosa, and many other stations of the Sunda-group, and most of the innumerable junks (Tsing-too, or Greenheads, so called from the green colour of their bowsprits) belong to the merchants of Amoy. The appearance of a foreign vessel, the Lord Amherst, caused a great sensation, and she was immediately visited by three Chinese dignitaries, who inquired politely after the object of their

[blocks in formation]

visit; and, on being informed that they wished for a free-trade with the inhabitants, replied that this was forbidden by the laws. A corps of soldiers was drawn up on shore to prevent any intercourse of the barbarians with the natives; but some of the inmates contrived to visit, and to stroll through the town. They were everywhere well received, the merchants and people crowded round them, and great was the joy and confidence of the latter when they heard Gutzlaff address them in a very impressive manner, in their own peculiar dialect. This celebrated missionary had formerly, in a mission to Siam, become acquainted with many emigrants from Fookien, who resided in that country. No greater proof of his philological attainments can be quoted than the angry remark of the Tsungping, or admiral at Amoy, that he was evidently a native of Fookien, a traitor to his country, who served the barbarians. During the six days that the Lord Amherst remained off Amoy, Lindsay and Gutzlaff visited the town every day; the inhabitants complained of the impression under which they laboured, and of the obstructions which were thrown in the way of a free intercourse with the strangers. During this time Gutzlaff was frequently surrounded by hundreds of hearers, whose sympathy he gained by his eloquence and knowledge of the Mandarin dialect, as well as by his skilful application of the maxims and proverbs of their sages and philosophers, more particularly Confucius; he made a great impression on their learned men, in his conversations with them on those abstruse points for which the Chinese display a decided preference. Meanwhile the shore assumed daily a more warlike appearance; already five hundred soldiers paraded close to the sea; and as the English now became convinced that any attempt to establish a commercial intercourse would prove unavailing, they sailed from Amoy on the 8th of April, through the channel of Formosa to Ningpo. The twelve junks stationed at Amoy did not fail to celebrate the expulsion of the barbarians by a plentiful waste of gunpowder.

On the 26th of August, 1841, the town of Amoy was taken by the English, and we are indebted to eye-witnesses for the following description of the city. Amoy is one of the third class cities of the empire. By reason of its excellent harbour and favourable position, it appears well calculated for commerce. The outer town, or suburb, is divided from the city by a chain of rocks, through a pass, in which there is a paved road connecting the two. The outer harbour, lying between the island of Kolongsoo and the mainland of Amoy, skirts the outer town; but the city itself stands on the shore of the inner harbour, which deeply indents the island in an easterly direction.

Including the outer town and the north-eastern suburb, the city cannot be much less than ten miles in circumference; while the citadel, which entirely commands this suburb, though itself commanded by hills within shot-range, is nearly one mile

VOL. III.

S

in circuit. The walls, varying with the inequality of the ground, from twenty to thirty feet in height, are castellated. There are four gates, having each an exterior one in an outwork at right angles to the inner gate. This method of defence was found in all the cities which the English visited. An immense quantity of stores, and six hundred and twenty-eight guns, were taken. A few days afterwards, Quemoy, which lies in the bay of the Amoy group of islands, likewise fell into the hands of the English.

PORTA MAGGIORE IN ROME.

THE topography of Rome has frequently been made the subject of investigations by antiquaries of all nations. Recent inquiries, and the severe critical examination of their works, have, however, unfortunately proved, that the results which have been hitherto admitted must be received with great caution. As the works of the learned on the continent, and particularly in Germany, although not unknown in this country, have not hitherto obtained the attention which the importance and interest of the subject deserves, we shall make no apology for entering at somewhat greater length than is usual with us, upon some portions of the Roman topography intimately connected with the interesting monument of antiquity here presented to the reader. Nor can we find a better authority than The Handbook of Roman Antiquities (Handbuch der Roemischen Alterthuemer), by Professor Becker, published at Leipzig, in 1843. We shall allow the learned German to speak for himself.

"We should find it altogether incomprehensible, that, since fifty years, when Alexander Adam published his planless compilation, notwithstanding the totally different state of science, no one has resolved on a similar undertaking, unless it may be explained by the great movement and contest of contradictory opinions, which since thirty years have prevailed in this department, and have rendered the tranquil position necessary for the production of a Handbook extremely difficult. The ferment which Niebuhr's immortal merits had brought into the inert mass of imaginary knowledge, comfortably reposing on obsolete tradition had first to subside; the feverish paroxysm, which followed the long torpor cool down, before the study of Roman antiquities could pass from its lethargic condition through a wholesome crisis to recovery If I have sometimes expressed myself indignantly at that arrogant and haughty want of profoundness, which is

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][subsumed]
« PreviousContinue »