troops, serves him for a body-guard, and constitutes, at the same time, a part of the police of the city. The foo-yuen has only two thousand at his command; while the tseang-keun has five thousand, which, in an extreme case, would enable him to become master of the city. The proper seat of the governor is at Shaou-king-foo, several miles west of this city; but on account of the superior advantages of Canton, he is allowed to reside here; he cannot, however, bring his troops hither, lest, in conjunction with the foo-yuen, they should prove more than a match for the Tartar general-commandant and his five thousand fighting men. It should be remarked here, that no individual can hold an office in any province, department, or district of the empire, that includes the place of his nativity, or that extends within several hundred _le_ of it. The whole number of soldiers, ordinarily quartered in the city, does not probably exceed seven thousand. There are in the immediate vicinity of Canton, a few small forts, and the city itself is intended to be a stronghold; but neither is in such a state that they would serve any very valuable purposes of defence. Even the late rain-storm carried away one of the gates of the city, and opened a wide breach in the walls. Most of the forts are dismantled and defenceless, and present nothing more formidable than the frightful paintings of tiger’s heads, on the wooden lids which block up their port-holes. The two _follies_, Dutch and French _follies_ as they are called, are situated in the river opposite to the city, and are fair specimens of the forts about Canton; there are likewise for the defence of the city, what have been called cavalry, and artillery; but of these, we have heard little, and seen nothing. Of the Tartar troops, there are two hundred chosen men, who on state occasions, appear well clad and warlike; but, generally, the soldiers are badly equipped, and poorly disciplined. All their armour and accoutrements, consisting of shields and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and javelins, short-swords and matlocks, seem ill fitted either for defence or attack; the heavy losses sustained by the troops of Canton, during the late highland war at Seen-chow, fully confirm these remarks; as do also recent imperial edicts, in which the soldiery are accused of idleness and lazy habits, and of “indulging in all the softness of civilians;” the police of the city is on the whole, vigilant and efficient. Besides those who act in the capacity of constables, thief-takers, &c., constituting the regular police, there are many neighbourhoods, as well as private individuals, which make arrangements for a constant nocturnal watch during the night; almost all the streets of the city are shut up by strong gates at each end; near one of which there is usually a guard-house. The night-watches are distinguished by bells, or some similar instruments kept by the watchmen, in the winter months, when there is great danger from fire,