Dr. Gutzlaff stated the population of Chinese Tartary and Thibet to be as follows:—
| Estimate of 1850. | Estimate of 1884. | |
| Manchuria | 8 millions | 8 millions |
| Mongolia | 15 millions„ | 5 millions„ |
| Sungaria | 2 millions„ | 2 millions„ |
| Thibet | 8 millions„ | 8 millions„ |
| Total dependencies | 33 millions | 23 millions |
We do not know the data from which Dr. Gutzlaff derived his statistics. Since then Russia has absorbed no small part of Manchuria, but so many Chinese have emigrated into what remains, that the population may still be eight millions. The statement about the population of Mongolia was certainly too large. It is, perhaps, impossible to arrive at accuracy with regard to some of these regions, as It would be no easy matter to make a correct census of migratory Tartar hordes Inhabiting the vast steppes of Central and Northern Asia. But, surely, we should follow them in spirit; our hearts should be moved with Christ-like compassion, when we think of them "scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd;" and our whole souls should cry to the great Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers to seek these lost ones, that they may be saved.
As to China Proper we have fuller Information. Without going over much that has been written on the subject, we may mention that In the first edition of this book we accepted the then generally assumed population of China at 400 millions. While this estimate was, perhaps, not very exessive thirty years ago, the rebellions, famines, and pestilences, which have since devastated in turn every province of the empire, have made previous estimates utterly unreliable. Moreover, the well-known effect of excessive opium-smoking (which latterly has attained to alarming proportions) on the number and vitality of the smoker's offspring, cannot be overlooked in estimating the present population of China. We do not wish to overstate the case, and to attempt to make China's need appear greater than It really Is; and therefore, for our present purpose, accepting a recent, well-supported estimate of 250 millions as the basis of our calculations, assume China Proper to have 227 millions of people. If any object to this as too low, then our argument becomes all the stronger; If accepted as approximately correct, the need will still be seen to be one of overwhelming magnitude. Those specially Interested in the question of the population of China, are referred for fuller information to the papers on the subject In the Appendix.
