China : a history of the laws, manners and customs of the people . remises till he hasparted with his tail. Where we would ring our pigs, a muzzlsis sometimes used; and the use of the ring is not known inChina. The Chinese—I include the Tartars and ^longolians—are notfamous for any remarkable breed of horses. In this respect theyare unlilce most of the nations of Europe, and many of Asia,There is a great scarcity of horses in the southern many parts of Kwang-tung and Kiang-si there may be saidto be none. This scarcity of horses in the south, and in otherparts of China Proper, expl
China : a history of the laws, manners and customs of the people . remises till he hasparted with his tail. Where we would ring our pigs, a muzzlsis sometimes used; and the use of the ring is not known inChina. The Chinese—I include the Tartars and ^longolians—are notfamous for any remarkable breed of horses. In this respect theyare unlilce most of the nations of Europe, and many of Asia,There is a great scarcity of horses in the southern many parts of Kwang-tung and Kiang-si there may be saidto be none. This scarcity of horses in the south, and in otherparts of China Proper, explains some features in their politicaleconomy. To substitute men and draught cattle for horses, andto use as few quadrupeds as possible, so as to have at commanda greater quantity of farinaceous and esculent food for humanbeings, is an idea no way strange to political economists in ourown country. In China there are palpable reasons why sucha policy should prevail. Ihere are comparatively few cities,towns, or hamlets in this vast empire which do not possess f. i XXIV.] HORSES. 171 tliCir near river, canal, or crook, to render navigation easy, andland transit for travellers, or tlie bulky commodities of commerce,unnecessary. To the Chinese the question of an adequatesupply of food is a pressing one, which has to he solved by theimmediate production of what will support so vast a enormous consumption of grain by horses in England wouldfill the mind of an honest Chinese with horror. Were theCelestial Empire suddenly overspread with the powerful breedof quadrupeds which cover the face of our own country, heAvould road in their sleek and woU-fcd forms the starvation ofmany a family. It is not sur[)rising, therefore, that he is un-willing to encourage the breeding of an animal which in our ownand other European countries is considered of such word upon one or two of the modes in AAhich the landtransit of goods and passengers is accomplished, will show t
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