Che-kiang. As the excursionist enters this city by the south gate, an imposing sight, produced by these arches, meets his view. They span a portion of the Tai-naur Kai, or great south street of the city, and are placed in such close proximity to one another as to make this thoroughfare worthy of the name of the street of arches. Each of them is of vast dimensions and richly sculptured. These arches are all in honour of men who were born, and who lived and died in the prefecture of Hoochow. Two of them are in honour of a father and his son who had attained high literary honours. On another are recorded the names of thirteen men, natives of Hoo-chow, who, in one and the same year obtained at Pekin almost the highest honours which are offered by the Chinese government to stimulate the literati of the country. The only monument I saw in the form of a pavilion or dome, is at Choo-loong-shan, a suburban district of the city of Woo-see Hien, on the banks of the Grand Canal. It is in honour of certain members of the Wha family, who had successfully graduated in honours. Again, the only monumental arch I saw made of earthenware, stands in the vicinity of Yan-chow Foo, on the banks of the Poyang Lake. It was erected, I believe, to perpetuate the memory of a woman conspicuous by her virtue. To save their cities from destructive fires, the Chinese observe many necessary precautions. In the streets of many of their cities wells are sunk, which are called Taiping-tsieng, or great peace wells. They are large and contain abundant supplies of water, and over the mouth of each a stone slab is placed, which is only removed when any of the neighbouring houses is on fire. It is provided by law, that there shall be placed in various parts of a Chinese city, large tubs to be kept at all times full of water. On the sides of each of these vessels, are written in large Chinese letters the words "peace tubs," or cisterns. On the tops of the houses also it is not unusual for the Chinese to place earthenware jars containing water, so that they may always have at hand sufficient water to enable them to suppress incipient fires. In each large city there are several fire brigades, maintained entirely by contributions on the part of the citizens. The fire engines, water buckets, and lanterns which belong to 1.] MUNICIPAL FIRE BRIGADES. 13 them, are kept, as a rule, in the different temples of the city; and each brigade is distinguished by a peculiar name. To each guild a fire brigade is attached, and the expenses of the brigade are defrayed by the members of the guild. The officers and men of the brigade are provided with a distinctive uniform or dress, and on their hats are recorded in large Chinese characters the name or number of their brigade, and the words Kow-fo or fire extinguisher. Besides these provisions by the citizens themselves for the purpose of checking or putting out fires, the members of the local government of each city are called upon to render their assistance. By way of illustration let me take Canton. Each magistrate of the city has in his service several men, whose duty it is, on the occasion of a fire, to prevent robberies. Thus the Kwong-hip, or commandant of the Chinese garrison in Canton, has under him, besides others, eighty men, of whom twenty are to assist in preventing robberies when a fire takes place, and sixty to assist in putting out the fire. Of these men, forty are stationed at the Five Genii gate of the city, and forty in the western suburb. Under the immediate command of the governor there are two hundred men, whose duty in a great measure consists in helping firemen to subdue conflagrations. Throughout the city of Canton there are forty-eight guard houses, and from each of these, in the event of a fire, two men are told off to hasten to the scene. At the close or commencement of each succeeding month throughout the year, the provincial judge and the provincial treasurer, both of whom are very high officials, are supposed to inspect all the government servants whose duty it is to assist in putting out fires. Once more, with the view of making all Chinese officials active in the discharge of these duties, it is enacted that, in the case of eighty houses being destroyed by fire, all the officers of the city in which the conflagration occurred shall be degraded in rank one step; and that in the case of ten houses being destroyed the matter shall be reported to the central government at Pekin. A few days after a conflagration the members of each respective fire brigade which was present on the occasion, receive as an acknowledgment of their good services roast pigs, CHAPTER II. GOVERNMENT. THE form of government of this vast empire is an absolute monarchy. The emperor regards himself as the interpreter of the decrees of Heaven, and he is recognised by the people over whom he rules as the connecting link between the gods and themselves. He is designated by such titles as the Son of Heaven, the Lord of Ten Thousand Years, the Imperial Supreme; and he is supposed to hold communion with the deities at his pleasure, and to obtain from them the blessings of which he, personally, or the nation may stand in need. This mighty monarch is assisted in the administration of the government by a cabinet council, which consists of four great ministers of state. In addition to this council there are six supreme tribunals for the conduct, in detail, of all governmental business. These tribunals, which are designated by the general appellation of Loo-poo, are as follows:-First, that which is termed Leepoo. This office is divided into four departments. In the first of these, officers are selected to fill the various offices which are deemed necessary for the due administration of the affairs of the respective provinces and districts of the Empire. The second takes cognizance of all such officials. The third affixes the seal to all edicts and proclamations; and the fourth keeps a register of the extraordinary merits and good services of distinguished men. The second board or tribunal is named Hoopoo, and to it is entrusted the care and keeping of the imperial |