Encyclopædia Britannica, First Edition/Canton

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Encyclopædia Britannica, First Edition, Volume II (1771)

Canton

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See also Canton, Cantons of Switzerland, and Guangzhou on Wikipedia, Canton on Wikisource, canton and Canton on Wiktionary, and the Encyclopædia Britannica, 1st edition, disclaimer. The Chinese city is actually located at 23° 7′ N., 113° 15′ E.

4119449Encyclopædia Britannica, First Edition, Volume II — Canton1771

CANTON, in geography, denotes a small country, or district, constituting a distinct government: such are the cantons of Switzerland.

Canton is also the name of a large, populous, and wealthy city and port-town of China, situated on the river Ta, about fifty miles from the Indian ocean: E. long. 112° 30′, N. lat. 23° 25′.

It is a fortified place, within the walls of which no Christians are permitted to enter, notwithstanding their great trade thither; it being from thence that they import all manner of Chinese goods, as china-ware, tea, cabinets, raw and wrought silks, gold-dust, &c.