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. 1885 edition. Excerpt: ... the whole of my long residence at Canton, I never knew of a formal lease being drawn up for any one of them. Their relative positions may be seen on the accompanying plan. Collectively they were known as Hongs. Each one contained separate residences including countingrooms, one behind the other, with small open courts or spaces between them in the direction north and south. These were the Factories. Fronting the six central ones was an open Square1 down to the banks of the river, about 300 feet distant, especially set apart by mutual consent for the use of the foreign residents. It was originally surrounded by a stout wooden railing on a stone base, with gates leading into it from each Hong, with others opposite on the river side, so that each one had its separate landing. The three easterly Hongs, as well as the three westerly ones, had communication with the river through separate walled enclosures, with gates at each extremity, the enclosures being of the width of each respectively. This system had been adopted from the first days of the restriction of foreign trade to the single port of Canton, by order of the Emperor Yung-Ching, the third sovereign of the actual dynasty of Ta-Tsing, in 1745, and was a very sensible one. The accommodation it afforded to the inmates of the several Factories was also a feature of the general order and system which contributed to the convenience of all the resident Fankwaes. As may be seen on the plan, the Hong of Chung-Qua, Hong merchant, was built in line with the twelve foreign Factories; together they gave the name of 'Thirteen Factory Street, ' which ran in the rear of them east and west. So long as these enclosures 'See p. 12. and the Square existed in their original condition, a period of eighty..