The cities of China are large and numerous. PEKING (1,500,000?), the
capital, is not open to foreign trade. In fact, it has no trade of any
sort, and derives its whole importance from being the seat of
government. But TIENTSIN (750,000), the port of Peking, and an
important "treaty port," has a large trade, both foreign and local.
Tientsin and Peking are connected by rail, and since the Russian
government has obtained the right of connecting Peking with the
Trans-Siberian Railway, it is more than likely that in time Tientsin
will become a terminus of that railway. Of "treaty ports" other than
Tientsin the principal are Shanghai, Hankow, Foochow, Hangchow, Amoy,
and Canton. SHANGHAI (405,000) exceeds all other ports of China put
together in the amount of its foreign trade. Its foreign trade is,
indeed, almost three fifths of that of the whole empire. And of the
total number of foreigners residing in China (in 1896 said to be
10,855, of whom 4362 were British subjects and 1439 Americans) about
one half reside in Shanghai. Shanghai is, indeed, the New York of
China, and if railways were only built from it (as has been proposed)
to the capital, Peking, and up the Yang-tse-kiang to Hankow, and by
way of the coast cities to Canton, China would begin a new era in
her career. HANKOW (800,000), on the Yang-tse-kiang, about 700 miles
from its mouth, is the chief emporium of the tea-producing area of
China. Ocean-going steamships ascend the river to Hankow for their
cargoes. FOOCHOW (650,900) also has a great tea export trade. HANGCHOW
(700,000), one of the most beautiful cities in China, is also the
chief city for the manufacture of silks, and of gold and silver ware,
lacquered ware, and fans. AMOY (100,000) has the best harbour in China
and an immense import trade, ranking in that respect next after
Shanghai. CANTON (2,000,000?) is the largest city in the Chinese
Empire. A considerable portion of its inhabitants live in boats. Of
these "house-boats" there are said to be 40,000. The foreign trade of
Canton is next to that of Shanghai. Once it was superior, now it is
much inferior. Its manufactures, however, are still important and
include silk, cotton, glass, porcelain, paper, sugar, lacquered ware,
and ivory goods and metal goods. NANKING (150,000), once the capital
of China and once the largest city in the world, is now comparatively
a small city. Although a treaty port, its commerce is not important.
It was once famous for its beautiful tower of porcelain, 200 feet
high, but that is now destroyed. There are many other large cities
in China.
[Illustration: China and its chief trade centres.]