The Chinese : a general description of the empire of China and its inhabitants . ving also broadbasins between them, and embankments constructedas before, with the straw or reeds confined withcordage. The object of this repetition of sluices,with the basins between, seems in some degreesimilar to that of the locks on our own canals. The important figure which the great wall makesin the maps of China entitles this vast artificial bar-rier to be considered in a geographical point ofview. We have already stated that it was built bythe first universal monarch of China, about 200years before the co
The Chinese : a general description of the empire of China and its inhabitants . ving also broadbasins between them, and embankments constructedas before, with the straw or reeds confined withcordage. The object of this repetition of sluices,with the basins between, seems in some degreesimilar to that of the locks on our own canals. The important figure which the great wall makesin the maps of China entitles this vast artificial bar-rier to be considered in a geographical point ofview. We have already stated that it was built bythe first universal monarch of China, about 200years before the commencement of the Christianera, or rather more than 2000 years from this bounds the whole north of China, along the fron-tiers of three provinces, extending from the shoreof the Gulf of Pechele, 34° east of Peking, to Syning,15° west of that capital. The emperors of theMing dynasty built an additional inner wall, near toPeking on the west, which may be perceived onthe map, enclosing a portion of the province betweenitself and the old wall. From the eastern extremity. GREAT 139 of the great wall there is an extensive stockade ofwooden piles enclosing the country of Mougrlen,and this has, in some European maps, been erro-neously represented as a continuation of the solidharrier. The gentlemen of Lord Macartneys embassy hadthe good fortune to pass into Tartar} by one of tliemost entire portions of the wall, and a very partic-ular examination of the structure was made by Cap-tain Parish. On the first distant approach, it is de-scribed as resembling a prominent vein or ridge ofquartz, standing out from mountains of gneiss orgranite. The continuance of this line over themountain-tops arrested the attention, and the formof a wall with battlements was soon distinctly dis-cerned. It was carried over the ridges of thehighest hills, descended into the deepest valleys,crossed upon arches over rivers, and was doubledin important passes, being, moreover, supplied withmassy
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1800, booksubjectchinade, bookyear1800
