isolated in China, showing that the northern ruling Chinese influenced
the people very slightly. To instance:
In Fukien In Mandarin
---------- -----------
Hokchiu Fuchau
Amoy Hsia-men
Quemoy Chinmen
Though the port was formally opened to foreign trade in 1842, the East
India Company had hongs here as early as 1661 and up to 1730.
There is much for the antiquarian to trace as he follows the
traditions of Arab visits in centuries preceding the Portugese
discovery, at Canton. We hear reports that St. Thomas, the disciple,
and Mohammed’s uncle journeyed here, taking the route none ever has
since, across Persia, India and Burma. The tourist should not fail
to visit the noble park of thousands of examination stalls, where
the old classical learning held rule from Confucius’ time until
recently. There is evidence enough that the state has grasped the new
educational conditions recommended by the great Emperor Kwang Hsu, and
the Cantonese reformers, in the splendid Kwangtung normal college,
which consists of two wings and a tower building in the style of the
University of New York. A noble stucco wall, pierced with portholes,
surrounds the college. There is also the Canton Christian College,
established in the fine Martin Hall. It is supported by Americans.
American statesmanship and philanthropy will miss their glorious
opportunity if they do not soon erect at Canton the preparatory
department of a comprehensive American-Chinese university, the higher
classes to be at Peking or Nanking. Trace should also be made of
the factory of Milner & Bull, of New York, which sheltered Robert
Morrison in 1807, when he was preparing for his immortal translations
and dictionary. This was the time when American tradesmen of New
York, Philadelphia and Boston showed keen sympathy with statesmanship
and learning. Olyphant & Company, of New York and Canton, backed the
printing of the priceless _Chinese Repository_, and brought fifty
missionaries free from New York in their famous clipper ships. The
Boston merchants who ran regular lines in those days to Canton, and had
factories there, were Forbes, Perkins, Cabot, Sturgis, Russell, Cushing
and Coolidge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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