∙1824. Proposal for an East-India Steam-Mail. pected from the Turkish government; it would necessarily gain by the transit of goods, and could neither incur risk nor expense. There must be a depôt of such stores, both at Cairo and at Suez,† as would be required for the use of the steam-boats; there must be, also, the means of repair at each place. A steam-mail-boat would be stationed at Suez to receive the caravan from Cairo, and would start without delay down the Red Sea. The steam-mail should either proceed at once from Suez to Bombay, fourteen days run, about 3300 miles, or the distance could be divided into two voyages, by going first from Suez to Socatara, and having there, also, a depôt of stores, which might be wanted for the use of the mail: the island of Socatara being in the direct route from Suez to Bombay, very little time would be lost by putting in regularly, or another steamboat could be in readiness to start for Bombay. The island is described to be populous and fruitful, about fifty miles in length, and twenty in breadth. "The capital of the same name is situated on a river near the sea in lat. 15° 24′ N. The natives are Mahometans, with a mixture of Paganism. They trade to Goa with the produce of their island, viz. fine aloes, frankincense, ambergrease, dragon's blood, rice, dates, and coral, which are transported from thence to many parts of India, and all Europe. The sultan is tributary to the princes of Arabia. The shore every-where affords safe anchorage and good ports; and here are, in particular, two remarkably-fine harbonrs, where shipping may ride secure from every wind that blows," lat. 12° 15′ N. lon. 54° E. No island can be better calculated, as a depôt, than that of Socatara, should the run be thought too long from Suez to Bombay. We have given place to Mr. Wilkinson's project, because we regard it as a practical consequence of steam-navigation, and to be of great public concern; but, as Mr. Perkins's new steam-engine, by diminishing the consumption of fuel, will enable ships to make long voyages, we anticipate the speedy establishment of steam-packets and traders between Eu rope and India by the Cape of Good Hope. This will be a practical consequence of his invention, and an East India Vide Cook 658, Art. Boulac. 1 485 voyage will then not be of greater duration For the Monthly Magazine. PLAN for CLEANSING and PURIFYING the METROPOLIS. of English houses to the virtues NAVOURABLE as is the interior of cleanliness, it is to be lamented that Nothing is wanted but an Act of The details of the plan might be something like the following: 1. Let 1. Let there be created an office for a director of health, appointed by the Common Council of London, with a salary of twelve hundred pounds per annum; and an establishment of clerks, and eight surveyors, or inspectors, at salaries of two hundred and fifty pounds each. 2. Let the metropolis, from the meridian of Hyde-Park corner to that of MileEnd, and from the parallel of Islington church to that of Kennington, be divided into eight districts, each to be under the direction of a surveyor, who should change his district every twelve months. 3. Let each surveyor have under his control thirty regular labourers, each at twenty shillings per week, with power to double the number three days in every week, when needful. These labourers to consist of cartmen, sweepers, and whitewashers; and the supernumeraries to be taken from the parish workhouses of the districts, at two shillings per day. 4. Let every district be provided with a yard, or repository for its carts, horses, lime-washing, apparatus, &c. &c. where also the district-surveyor should reside. 5. Let all the streets, lanes, alleys, &c. be swept every other morning, and all nuisances and offensive objects be removed early every morning, occasionally washing the streets; and, during a snow-season, sweeping and cleansing them every morning, Observation.-The streets, lanes, &c. of London, are all together about 110 miles long, which, if swept every other morning, would be 55 miles per morning; which 55 miles, divided among 220 sweepers, would give 440 yards to each, in dry weather, or in dirty weather, when the hands would be doubled, 220 yards to each-in either case, about six or seven hours' labour of this kind per day, the remainder being occupied in lime-washing, engine-washing, carting, &c. &c. 6. Let cleanliness be strictly enforced on the duties of the public, in regard to sweeping the pavement opposite their doors, omitting to throw out filth, &c. &c. 7. Let all houses which are exempt by reason of the poverty of their inhabitants from paying poor's-rates, be lime-washed twice on the outside every year, and once through the inside. 8. Let all dead-walls, to the height of six feet, and also the vacant spaces under shop and other windows, (unless the owners choose to paint or frequently wash them,) be lime-washed twice in every year, 9. Let a sufficient number of sinks be made for certain convenient purposes, with drains under the pavement, and let all the sinks be washed with hot lime every other morning. 10. Let the fronts of all houses in streets, lanes, alleys, and courts not exceeding fifteen feet in width, be lime-washed, which there is not a space of fifteen feet 12. Let the exterior walls of all public be lime-washed by the police, at least six buildings, churches, church-yards, &c. &c. feet high, twice in every year, unless the surfaces are otherwise renewed by the owners, or parties concerned. the cleanliness of markets, prisons, and 13. Let special regulations be made for workhouses, and to prevent the exercise of noisome trades at improper hours. 14. Let all the streets be washed with engines, with water or lime-water, in dry weather once a-day, in the months of June, July, August, and September. The gross annual expenses of these. great improvements may be estimated in the following manner: Director's salary .... 800 ..... 12,480 3,720 4,160 600 500 Two hundred and forty extra ditto, 29,260 In the eight districts, there are about 100,000 houses, so that the assessments would be but 5s. 6d. per house, on the on middling ones, and 28. on small average, or 20s. on great houses, 10s. ones; and the sale of the sweepings is would yield a not taken into the account, though they amount. very considerable trifling an expence, it must be evident, Under such arrangements, and at so that London would become the cleanest city in the world, and unite all the agreeables of town life to an enlightened and polished people. Typhous fever, which is a perpetual plague in the 1824.] Commercial Rout from the Caspian Sea to Chiwa and Bucharia, 487 the poor quarters, would be exterminated. In the narrow streets, the pecuniary advantages from increased light would be equal to those from improved air and health, while houseowners would profit by the increased durability of their property. Indeed, independent of increased pleasure and health, the general habits of cleanliness, hereby introduced would induce wealthy persons in the principal streets to stucco and beautify the exterior of their houses, and the appearance of the whole metropolis would, in consequence, be in all respects improved. The effects altogether on this dirty and noisome city, would in two or three years be like that of enchantment. Nothing more would be requisite to effect these desirable objects, than that the Common Council of London should originate the measure, or, that one of the members for London, Westminster, Middlesex, or Southwark, should prepare and bring in a bill, having some such provisions as those indicated. There can be no doubt that it would be hailed as a salutary object in and out of parliament, and be carried into casy execution, attended by gratitude and applause to those who gave it the force of law. COMMON Sense. The outline of this article appeared a few years ago, but it has since been enlarged and improved, and its importance entitles it to reiterated attention. Its adop tion would signalize any mayoralty, and raise into distinction any private citizen. For the Monthly Magazine. COMMERCIAL ROUT from the CASPIAN SEA to CHIWA and BUCHARIA. HE merchants going from Astra way of the Caspian Sea, land on the south-western shore, called by the Turchomans, Mangishlak, and by the Russian sailors on that sea, the Mangishlakski harbour. Here the goods are disembarked, and are passed between the islands of Kulala and Sswjatoi and Cape Karagan; here also the caravans embark for Astrachan. The merchandize was sent on camels across the mountains which surround the eastern and southern shore of the sea as far as Urgansh in Chiwa. This was formerly done by the Turchomans wandering near those shores, but these people have now nearly ceased their Nomadic life, and their stations are taken by Kirgees. These mountains are crossed in little more than twenty days, when they decline towards a valley, the mountains branching off in two lower ranges. The road across the mountains is story, and almost entirely without forests; wells are found in convenient spots by Kirgees, Turchomans, and caravan travellers. About the middle of the journey, a square building is found, consisting of a wall 200 fathoms long and two fathoms high. These walls are called by the Turchomans olank, who say that they were built in ancient times by a people with whose name they are unacquainted, and that the stones for the edifice were taken from the lake below. This assertion obtains some degree of probability from the circumstance of the banks of the lake being of the same substance with the stones of those walls. The banks are very steep and high, and the surface of the water is reached by a narrow path only. The lake is extremely deep, and never quiet; but there is no fish in it. But what is most remarkable is, that the water of the lake and many wells in the hills, which for ages past is known to have been brackish and bitter, has within the last eighteen years suddenly become sweet and drinkable. About one day's journey farther, a little to the left, another lake is found, which is exactly 300 fathoms in circumference. It is very swampy, and a great number of springs of better water fall with great noise from its high and rocky banks into it. At a distance from it is a high mountain, from which, in clear weather, a square castle of stone is discovered. It is not known what it contains ; tradition only says homed by some conqueror, named Ishandar, or Sul-Karnain; that he, as well as his successor, Dshamshit, had concealed immense treasures in it, which they had plundered from the conquered nations; and, finally, that Tamerlane intended to make use of this castle, which however, from some cause unknown, he omitted to do. Perhaps these circumstances gave rise to the strange name, Birsakilmos, he is gone, he has been lost, or, he goes away and does not return. In these hills are found horses, buffaloes, foxes (called karatshanki), and hares. The former sometimes sportively approach the caravans, and are rather smaller in size than the common horses. horses. Near the shores of Mangishlak the sea produces coral. On descending into the plain, a lake is found in a nook of one of the abovementioned branches of the bills, which was formed within the last twenty years, and is called Oi-bogur. Its water is fresh, full of fish from the Caspian sea, and is about 400 fathoms in circumference. This phenomenon is easily explained by the circumstance, that during the inundations in spring, this little lake communicates with the Caspian by means of a bend in the river Amu, falling into the Lake of Aral, which has similar fish. The sudden appearance of this lake must be ascribed to some earthquake. In many places in the mountains cavities are found, which yield a hollow sound on being touched by a heavy substance; and one of these, which is very deep and dark, is said to have sunk with the weight of a caravan. Near the shore of Mangishlak, a mountain, named Abishtsha,constantly emits a sulphurous vapour from an open crater: black stones are scattered all around it. The hills are generally covered with fogs, which the sun but rarely disperses for any length of time; and rain is also frequent. From the hills to Urgarsh the road is level; trees of different kinds grow by the side, especially one kind, ssakssaul. This tree grows to the height of three fathoms, with long and thick branches, and is so hard that it is difficult to fell it with the axe. Its wood is, however, brittle, and sinks in the water. There are many wild beasts in this forest, lions not excepted. The wandering Tarchomans occupy the Eastern side of the Caspian sea. Their immediate neighbours are the Chiwinzes, with whom they live in peace; some of the Turchomans are in the service of the Chanaf Chiwa. They are a thievish malicious race, occupying themselves with the breeding of cattle, and agriculture; but they are not fond of trade, except the slave trade they carry on with Chiwa, by means of the unfortunate fishermen they take on the riyer Emba, or Em, on the borders of the government of Orenburgh, and the Persians they find opportunities for kidnapping. They have often plundered the Bucharian caravans, in which they were assisted by the Chiwinges. A circumstance which has latterly induced many mer chants to abandon this route, and take the direction of Orenburg Ssorotch-: ckowski. TheKirgees, who now carry the caravans across the hills, are likewise a rude and thievish people. Their chief. support is the breeding of cattle; but they are also employed in hunting and the manufacture of felt and camelot, from camel's hair. Both the Turchomans and Kirgees, with the exception of those who have become subjects of Russia, live without any sort of government, although the former have princes, and the latter Shans, whom they scarcely ever obey. The Kirgees are rather afraid of the Chiwinges, and profess the Mahomeden religion. Instructed by the Turchomans, they oppress the merchants, and levy a tax on their goods. The Asiatics being of the same religion, and having formed a sort of friendly, intercourse with these people, are in some measure exempt from these vexations. These robbers have lately ventured even on the Caspian, in boats taken from the Russian fishermen, and others which they have built on these models. They carry fire arms in them, and even attack large fishing vessels, although their fleets consists of only five beats. The distance from the lake OiBogar to Upgansh, is five days. This place is important, as being the rendevouz for all the caravans going from Bucharia, Chiwa to Russia, Turkey or Persia. To the left of the Chiwa, on the eastern side of lake Aral, dwell the Kara-Kalpaks, a wandering tribe, which is more peaceable than the Turchomans and Kirgees, and engaged in agriculture and the breeding of cattle. They were formerly governed by Chans, to whom, however, they were not very obedient. Subsequently one part submitted to the dominion of Russia, whilst the remainder became tributary to the Chiwinzer. The Chiwinstki caravans go from Urgansh to Chiva, the capital of the country, a distance of 70 wersts. But the Bacharese only go with their caravans as far as their first town, El-Dshik, whither light bales are carried by land within three days; whilst heavy bales are sent by the river Amer, on which they are dragged on badly constructed rafts, by men, in about seven days, the use of oars and sails being perfectly unknown here. For 1824.] On Canonical and Moral Books of the Chinese. CHINESE. (Concluded from p. 412.) T is observed, by the missionary, more pieces of poetry on filial piety, conjugal affection, fraternal amity, the union of families, and the misfortunes of the country, than all the transmarine learned nations taken together. This forms a distinguishing feature in characterising the nation. Father Cibot describes the ode, which commences with the following strophes, as so pathetic, that he could not forbear shedding tears over it:Thus, then, it is that the King of Heaven is unpropitious to our prayers. His wonted clemency is withheld. Famine and pestilence are desolating the earth; pale death fills the whole empire with mourning and tears. O terrible wrath and vengeance! Heaven no longer selects its victims; its inflictions are every where felt with redoubled blows. Dead bodies are spread over the land; we hear only the groans of the dying. It is just, it is right; let the guilty suffer without mercy,-let them perish. But shall the innocent be involved in their punishment? Shall children, hanging at the withered breast of their languishing mothers, pine away, also, in grief and pain? O for the pangs of lieartfelt repentance! let our groans, our sighs, our tears, confess our ingratitude and wickedness; but shall they exceed the overflowings of mercy and goodness in our. Heavenly Parent? But what do I see? Assas-inations and shedding of blood,-an aggregate of immense human slaughter; those whom the famine had spared cut off by the sword! Wives, husbands, relations, children, friends, shunning mutual intercourse, avoiding, dreading to see each other. I behold some, passing over the dead bodies, running to banquets and entertainments. Tremble, ye impions! with the air you breathe, you are imbibing the contagion of death. Those eyes, full of adultery and incest, will shortly be closed for ever! We shall close with two fragments in deserved repute, as agreeably delineating the softer affections of human nature: Like the living branches that add lustre and stability to the root that has produced them, I was indulging the fond hopes of being, one day, the joy and support of my parents. Vain expectations of a soul penetrated with sensibility and gratitude! I am become like one of those arid stalks that dry up the root that has nourished. them, such exhaustion terminating in its deatli. My father and my mother are in MONTHLY MAG, No. 520. 489 want, standing in need of that succour rude, ill-formed, vase, set beside it! The for ever drowned in tears? Shall this |