ipal merchants and brokers; it faces the broad channel known
as the Macao Passage, up which the cool breezes in summer are wafted
almost uninterruptedly, and the river opposite to it affords a safe and
commodious anchorage for steamers up to 1000 tons burden. Steamers only
are allowed to come up to Canton, sailing vessels being restricted to
the anchorage at Whampoa. There is daily communication by steamer with
Hong-Kong, and with the Portuguese colony of Macao which lies near the
mouth of the river. Inland communication by steam is now open by the
west river route to the cities of Wuchow and Nanking. The opening of
these inland towns to foreign trade, which has been effected, cannot but
add considerably to the volume of Canton traffic. The native population
is variously estimated at from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000, the former being
probably nearer the truth. The foreign residents number about 400.
Canton is the headquarters of the provincial government of Kwangtung and
Kwangsi, generally termed the two Kwang, at the head of which is a
governor-general or viceroy, an office which next to that of Nanking is
the most important in the empire. It possesses a mint built in 1889 by
the then viceroy Chang Chih-tung, and equipped with a very complete
plant supplied from England. It turns out silver subsidiary coinage and
copper cash. Contracts have been entered into to connect Canton by
railway with Hong-Kong (Kowlun), and by a grand trunk line with Hankow
on the Yangtsze. It is connected by telegraph with all parts. The value
of the trade of Canton for the year 1904 was L13,749,582, L7,555,090 of
which represented imports and L6,194,490 exports. (R. K. D.)

CANTON, a city of Fulton county, Illinois, U.S.A., in the W. part of the
state, 12 m. N. of the Illinois river, and 28 m. S.W. of Peoria. Pop.
(1890) 5604; (1900) 6564 (424 foreign-born); (1910) 10,453. Canton is
served by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the Toledo, Peoria &
Western, and the Illinois Central Electric Interurban railways. About 1
m. from the centre of the city are the Canton Chautauqua grounds. The
city has a public library. Canton is situated in a rich agricultural
region, for which it is a supply point, and there are large coal-mines
in the vicinity. Among the manufactures are agricultural implements
(particularly ploughs), machine-shop and foundry products (particularly
mining-cars and equipment), flour, cigars, cigar-boxes, brooms, and
bricks and