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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 408, 15 March 1879, Page 2

From the Wellington Chronicle, we take the following:—The Californian newspapers are publishing a scries of letters by a gentleman bearing the name of Kwand Chang Ling, in which there is much told about China that has not been hitherto generally known. The writer says, for instance, that the population is only 100.000. or 120,000,000, instead of 450.000. as generally reported ; that the country has reached the limit of agricultural development ; that its prosperity and population have been decreasing since 1761 ; that unless improved machinery and methods are adopted from the Western countries the people will not be able to support themselves, since they are already as poor as it is possible to be, andean only with great, difficulty maintain existence ; that the wealth , of the empire is in the hands of the-few, and that with a diminishing population and increasing wages at home there can be no great tide of immigration to the United States, so that Americans have no cause for anxiety on this point. Kwang Chang Ling does not explain why, if the population is diminishing and the wages are increasing, the people find it harder than ever to earn a livelihood ; but, if he is to be believed the prospect of the Chinese is anything but a comfortable one, and it is not surprising that they emigrate. Australia has already' sent criketers and rowing men to the mother country who have well sustained the honor of the antipodes in the old world, and- now (says the Ballarat Star ) we understand there is a probability of Victoria sending swimmers to England to do battle for glory in foreign waters., Melndoe, who won the principal swimming races here lately, and his brother, who arc both well know to be expert swimmers, are stated to be talking about taking a professional trip to Great Britain, and we have no doubt that if they do go they will render a good account of themselves.