2d division, From the great river Kiang, which is here 2i miles in breadth, the navigation continues southward by two separate tracks, both of which unite at the south ern extremity of the great lake Po, an-hou, one is by passing up the great river, entering at the northern ex tremity of the said lake, and passing along it ; the other is by means of canals and smaller rivets. This canal leaves the bank of the great river Kiang at the city Tching Kiang, proceeds by Tching Tchcou, and be tween a great lake on the west. and two smaller ones on the east, to the great city of Hang-Tcheou, and past the cities ot Yan-tcheou, Kiou-tcheou, and Koang-sin to Nan tchang, a little from the northern extremity of the great lake Poyan Hou. From this point the navigation pro ceetis up the river Kan Kiang to the base of the great ridge of the mountains Nliolin or Mielin, which divides the provinces of Kiamese and Canton ; hcre there is a carrying place of about 30 miles, across rugged moun tains, to the river Pekiang, which runs between Nangan and Nang Yong, where the navigation again commences, and proceeds by Cha•tcheou down to Canton. There is still another track, by which this carrying place is avoid ed; this is by passing up the great river Kiang to the great lake Tong-ting-hou, thence proceeding tip a ri‘er which falls into it, until it passes the city Yong teheou, from whence there is an artificial navigation fot tried by the w3ter collected from the mountains, to a river which falls in the sea of Canton; but this is circuitous, and fre fluently deficient in depth. In this artificial part there At- sund,) Cha's. but instead of being like those in the Impelial Canal. they are made with earth and piles, and closet: with mats. It required about three months to go fret.; P km to Canton by water.
ln both the north and south divisions of this extensive navigation, horn each side of the grand canal, many smaller ones hranch off' to considerable cities, and even villages, and not unfrequently pass around then). The banks are here fiequently lined with freestone, having sluices, by which water is drawn ofl for the purpose of irrigation, or for large reservoirs for the use of cities, &cc.
The bark in which Le Compte travelled from Nimpo was 70 feet in length, 16 feet broad, and 10 or 12 feet high, and contained a hall, four looms, mid a kitchen. The great plains are very favourable lor naeigation, but the southern portions toward the mountains, and along the rivers, are said to be nifficult and tedious; and the same on the southern side of the mountains towards Canton.
In some parts of China, when two portions of the same canal are upon different levels, varying, in some instances, about 15 feet, the boats ate passed Irom the one to the other by a double glacis ol stone, formed of two inclined planes, extended clown to the bottom of the canal, which will be described in another part of this article ; but there are none of these upon the Imperial Canal, where the emperor's barks navigate.
Le Compte states, that from Nanking, by means of the Yellow River, and sundry canals branching from it, that they navigate westward to the mountains ol Tar tary, for aboNe 1000 miles; but that in this distance there are many inclined planes, wot ked by numerous bo dies of men.
From the foregoing information, it appears that the progress of inland navigation in China is in pei feet uni son with the general character of that nation ; that is to say, by dint oi great labour, an extensi‘e water convey ance has been established, but the different levels being only connected in the Imperial Canal by cha's or shines, and in all the others by means of rude inclined planes, with torrents of water running down them, and up which the vessels are dragged by manual labour ; both opera tions clumsy and incommodious when compared with the facility and security of the European Lock. The Chi nese have, thet efore, evidently in this leadingleature of canal making, as in other matters m here mechanical science is concerned, stopped at a very moderate degree of perfection.
India.
On the eastern side of the old continent, and ncxt in importance to China, are those extensive countries, which are traversed by the great rivers Burratnpooter, Ganges, and Indus, and known to the western world by the name of Hindostan, or the East Indies.
The eastern commodities were anciently conveyed to the west by land routes, varying, as victorious princes moved their capital into favourite prolinces, the princi pal depots being successively at Oudc. Canouge, Delhi, Agra, and Lahore, the traffic being chiefly in silks, jewels, spicelies, and other articles of luxury, whose weight and bulk mere ery small w hen compared to theit value. They were conveyed with facility by means of animals, styled the ships of the desert ; the motives for creating..
artificially a water conveyance, did not therefore exist. The fertility of their rich plains, added to the religion and habits of the people, have constantly tended to foster habits of indolence, and even the hardy mountaineers, after conquering- the country, have repeatedly been ener vated. Since modern Europeans have been established in that quarter, they have hitherto been either contend ing with each other for superiority, or engaged in sub duing the native states, and carrying the produce of' their labours by sea to markets in the west, and it is not pro bable that projects for internal improvements will be car ried to much extent, until a powerlul, enlightened, and permanent government has been established in India.
Although little has been accomplished by human tut, yet there has always been a very extensive inland navi gation by means of the before-mentioned great rivers, of which we shall give a short account in the following- or der : 1. The Indus, with its branches and canals; 2. The Ganges and Burrampooter ; 3. The rivers south of the Ganges ; and 4. The rivets between the Burrampooter and China.