VESSELS PASSING THROUGH A SLUICE.
T he im p e ria l, o r grand canal o f C lrin a , extends, w ith little in te rru p tio n ,
from C an to n , in la t. about 23° 1 5 ', to P e k in in 30“ 50'.
F rom th is m a in tru n k issue m a n y branches, w h ich pass th ro u g h in n u merable
cities, town s, an d v illa g es, as roads th ro u g h E u ro p e an co u n trie s ;
an d by th is means a c om m u n ic a tio n is k ep t u p w ith the u tm o st limits o f
th e Em p ire ; some lesser canals are also c u t to counteract the ov erwh elm in g
effects o f in u n d a tio n ; these a t th e same time serve to convey superfluous
water o ver the low la n d s for the n u trim e n t o f ric e , w h ich req u ires
im m e rs io n in water till it approache s m a tu rity .
Locks and sluices o f v a rio u s k in d s are therefore v e ry n um e ro u s ; the
P r in t exhibits one chiefly d e s ig n e d as a b rid g e for the accommodation o f
foot p assengers; the b u ild in g on th e rig h t h a n d serves to sh e lte r those
wh o are em p lo y ed in ra is in g th e b rid g e , as well as to preserve the stone
u n d e r i t, w h ich re cords th e n am e , Ike. o f the in d iv id u a l who was at the
expense o f its erection.
Some sluices are so co n s tru c ted as to re ta in a considerable b o d y o f water
for the use o f vessels o f greater d r a u g h t ; these have grooves cu t in th e m a so
n ry at th e opposite p iers, in to w h ic h stro n g and h eavy b o ard s are d ro p p e d ,
s im ila r to a p o rtcu llis , an d w h e n a sufficient q u a n tity o f water is collected,
the plan k s are d raw n u p an d the vessels pass th ro u g h w ith considerable
v eloc ity, h av in g p re v io u s ly p a id a small to ll fo'r th e ir admission th ro u g h
the sluice.
T h e vessel h av in g the y ellow o r ro y a l flag, is one in h ab ited by a p a rt
o f the Em b a s sy ; some others occupied b y tbe E n g lish have a lre ad y passed
th ro u g h .