A Voyage In The Archipelago And Along The Southern Coast Of Asia Minor With A Visit To The Apocalyptic Churches And Travels In Syria Palestine And The Country East Of Jordan

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1834 edition. Excerpt: ... BRIEF NOTICE OF CHINA AND SIAM, AND THE LABOURS OF PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES IN THESE AND THE ADJACENT COUNTRIES. Between five and six hundred years have elapsed since the publication of the travels of Marco Polo made the nations of Europe acquainted with the northern portion of the empire of China. Two hundred years afterwards, the Portuguese, impelled by the spirit of maritime enterprise, for which they were then so distinguished, pushing their adventurous way along the African shore, passed the Cape of Good Hope, and discovered the highway by sea to the East Indies. Under the direction of the celebrated Albuquerque, they visited Malacca, Siam, Pegu, and Canton, and made the countries b of south-eastern Asia known to the inhabitants of the western world. In 1516, the Portuguese commenced their traffic at Canton; but it was not until 1614, that the servants of the English East India Company sought the trade of China. In 1637, the Company's ships anchored off Macao, and afterwards proceeded up the river towards Canton, to open a direct trade with the Chinese; but they were obliged to abandon the project, and were treated as enemies. Their commercial intercourse with this singular nation commenced in 1683;--this intercourse, though attended with many difficulties at first, was afterwards firmly established, and has been maintained with few interruptions ever since. "The English," as Mr.Auber observes, "when they first adventured in the China trade, presented themselves to the notice of the Chinese necessarily under the double disadvantage of being foreigners and merchants: nevertheless, since they have been invested with the character of representatives and servants of a great Company, enjoying the declared and immediate protection of the...

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