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SZECHENYI, ISTVAN, COUNT (1791-186o)

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Originally appearing in Volume V26, Page 319 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SZECHENYI, ISTVAN, See also:COUNT (1791-186o) , Hungarian statesman, the son of Ferencz Szechenyi and the countess Juliana Festetics, was See also:born at See also:Vienna on the 21st of See also:September 1791. Very carefully educated at See also:home till his seventeenth See also:year, when he entered the See also:army, he fought with distinction at the See also:battle of Raab (See also:June 14, 1809), and on the 19th of See also:July brought about the subsequent junction of the two See also:Austrian armies by conveying a See also:message across the See also:Danube to See also:General J. G. Chasteler at the See also:risk of his See also:life. Equally memorable was his famous ride, through the enemy's lines on the See also:night of the 16th-17th of See also:October 1813, to convey to See also:Blucher and Bernadotte the wishes of the two emperors that they should participate in the battle of See also:Leipzig on the following See also:day, at a given See also:time and See also:place. In May 1815 he was transferred to See also:Italy, and at the battle of See also:Tolentino scattered See also:Murat's bodyguard by a dashing See also:cavalry See also:charge. From September 1815 to 1821 he visited See also:France, See also:England, Italy, See also:Greece and the See also:Levant, carefully studying the institutions of the countries through which he passed, and every-where winning admirers and See also:friends. A second—scientifictour with his friend, See also:Baron Miklos See also:Wesselenyi, taught him much about See also:trade and See also:industry, which knowledge he subsequently applied to his See also:country's needs. In 1825, when he went to France in the See also:suite of See also:Prince See also:Pal Esterhazy, to attend the See also:coronation of See also:Charles X., the See also:canal du Midi especially attracted his See also:attention and suggested to him the See also:idea of regulating the See also:rivers Danube and See also:Theiss. At the See also:Diet of 1825, when the See also:motion for See also:founding a Hungarian See also:academy was made by Pal Nagy, who bitterly reproached the Magyar nobles for so See also:long neglecting their See also:mother-See also:tongue, Szechenyi offered to contribute a whole year'sincome (6o,000 florins) towards it. His example was followed by three other magnates who contributed between them 58,000 florins more. A See also:commission was thereupon appointed to See also:settle the details, and on the 18th of See also:August the project received the royal assent.

Another of his See also:

great projects was the opening up of the Danube for trade from Buda to the See also:Black See also:Sea. He satisfied himself of the practicability of the See also:scheme by a See also:person-ally conducted See also:naval expedition from Pest to See also:Constantinople. The See also:Palatine See also:Joseph was then won over, and on the loth of June 1833 a Danube See also:Navigation See also:Committee was formed which completed its See also:work in ten years. Szechenyi was also the first to start steamboats on the Theiss, the Danube and the See also:lake of See also:Balaton. It was now, too, that he published his famous work See also:Stadium, suggesting a whole See also:series of useful and indeed indispensable reforms (1833), which was followed by Hunnia (1834), which advocated the See also:extension and beautifying of See also:Budapest so as to make it the worthy See also:capital of a future great See also:power. His A Few Words on See also:Horse-racing, a See also:sport which he did so much to introduce and ennoble, appeared in 1839. All this time Szechenyi had been following, with some anxiety, the See also:political course of See also:Kossuth. He sincerely believed that the exaggeration and exaltation of the popular editor of the Pesti Hirlap would See also:cast the nation back into the old evil condit5ons from which it had only just been raised, mainly by Szechenyi's own extraordinary efforts, and in Kelet nepe, which is also an autobiography, he prophetically hinted at an approaching revolution. " Trample on me without ceremony," he wrote to Kossuth on this occasion, " but for See also:God's See also:sake See also:don't use the nimbus of your popularity to plunge See also:Hungary into See also:chaos." On this very point of reform the nation was already divided into two parties, though only the minority held with Szechenyi. But neither this fact nor the See also:gradual loss of his popularity restrained Szechenyi, both in the Diet and at See also:county meetings, from fulminating conscientiously against the extreme demands of Kossuth. His views at this See also:period are expounded in the pamphlet Politikai programm toredekek (" Fragments of a Political See also:Programme "). He held the See also:portfolio of ways and communications in the first responsible Magyar See also:administration (See also:March 23, 1848) under See also:Batthyany, but his increasing See also:apprehension of a revolution, with its inevitable corollaries of See also:civil See also:war and a rupture with the See also:dynasty, finally affected his mind, and on the 5th of September he was removed to an See also:asylum.

Here he remained for many years, but recovered sufficiently to correspond with his friends and even to meditate See also:

writing fresh books. In 1859 he, published the pamphlet Ein Blick in which he implored his countrymen to accept the See also:Bach See also:system as the best constitution attainable in the circumstances. The sudden See also:death of his old friend Baron See also:Samuel J6sika and the once more darkening political See also:horizon led him, in a moment of despair, to take his own life (See also:April 8, 186o). He richly deserved the epithet " the greatest of the See also:Magyars " bestowed upon him by his political antagonist Kossuth. Most of his numerous See also:works on political and economical subjects have been translated into See also:German. The best See also:complete edition of his writings has been published, in nine volumes, by the Hungarian Academy (Pest, 1884-1896). See Life of Szechenyi, by Zsigmond See also:Kemeny (Hung.; Pest, 187o) ; Aurel Kecskemethy, Tke Last Years and Death of Count Szechenyi (Hung.; Pest, 1866) ; Menyhert Lonyai, Count Szechenyi and his See also:Posthumous Writings (Hung.; Budapest, 1875) ; Max See also:Falk, " Der See also:Graf See also:Stephen Szechenyi and See also:seine Zeit " (in the Oesterreichische Revue, Vienna, 1867) ; Antal Zichy, Count Szechenyi as a See also:Pedagogue (Hung.; Budapest, 1876) ; Pal Gyulai, Szechenyi as a Writer (Hung.; Budapest, 1892) ; Antal Zichy, See also:Biographical See also:Sketch of Count Stephen Szechenyi (Hung.; 2 vols., Budapest, 1896-1897). (R. N. B.) SZE-CH'UEN (Four Rivers), a western See also:province of See also:China, bounded N. by Kokonor, Kan-suh and Shen si, E. by Hu-peh and IIu-nan, S. by Kwei-chow and Yun-nan, and W. by See also:Tibet. Estimates of its See also:population vary from 45,000,000 to 68,000,000; estimates of its See also:area from 185,000 to 218,000 sq. m. It is considerably larger than any other province of China, Yun-nan, which comes next in See also:size, covering less than 150,000 sq. m.

Sze-ch'uen contains twelve prefectual cities, inclusive of Ch`engtu Fu, the provincial capital. The western portion forms See also:

part of the See also:mountain-lands of Central See also:Asia and much of it is over ro,0oo ft. high, while heights of 16,000 to 19,000 ft. occur. The See also:northern portion is also mountainous, but the See also:east central part of Sze-ch'uen consists of a red See also:sandstone table-See also:land (see CHINA, § 1). Towards the See also:north-east end of this See also:plateau, commonly known as " the red See also:basin, " is Ch'ng-tu Fu (pop. 450,000-500,000), the provincial capital. The See also:plain in which the See also:city stands is about 70 m. long and 30 wide, and is noted for the See also:density of its population (about 5,000,000), its See also:wealth, and its splendid See also:irrigation works. The See also:fauna includes bears, yaks, various kinds of See also:antelope, monkeys and parrots. The See also:flora includes magnificent yews, a great variety of bamboos, See also:tallow, See also:varnish, See also:soap, and See also:wax trees, rhododendrons and See also:giant azaleas. The ethnological and commercial boundaries are sharply defined by the See also:physical features. The mountain districts are poorly cultivated, and are inhabited by Ijin or barbarians, who are distinguished under the tribal names of Si-See also:fan, Lo-lo and See also:Man-tsze, and who maintain a semi-See also:independence. Tibetans are also scattered over the western region and are numerous in the See also:district of Pa-tang. The table-land is inhabited by See also:Chinese, and is one of the most thriving and populous regions in the See also:empire.

These Chinese exhibit great diversity of type, due in part to See also:

immigration from other provinces in the 17th See also:century—three fourths of the inhabitants having, it is said, been exterminated towards the See also:close of the Ming dynasty. Through the See also:southern portion of Sze-ch'uen runs the Yangtszekiang, which is there navigable throughout the year, while the province is traversed by three large rivers, the See also:Min-kiang, the Fu-sung-ho and the Kialing-kiang, all of which take their rise in the mountains on its north-See also:west border, and empty into the Yangtsze-kiang at Su-chow Fu, Lu Chow and Chung-k'See also:ing Fu respectively. A series of rapids disturb the See also:waters of the Yangtsze-kiang between I-ch'ang and Chung-See also:king, a distance of about Soo m. According to the native authorities there are 13 big rapids and 72 smaller ones on these waters. In See also:ordinary circumstances it takes about six See also:weeks to See also:traverse the distance. In 1898 Mr A. Little took a steamer, which had been built for the purpose, up the rapids, and since then one or more of these boats have ascended them. The province is intersected by numerous but difficult roads. The Ta-pei-lu, or great north road, leads from Ch'eng-tu Fu to See also:Peking. From the same centre there See also:branch roads to Chung-k'ing Fu, to Paoning Fu and to Ya-chow Fu, while another road connects Chung-k'ing Fu with Kwei-chow Fu on the Yangtsze-kiang and beyond with I-ch'ang Fu in Hu-peh. From Ya-chow Fu, again, start two important roads, one leading into Tibet by way of Yung-king, Ts'ing-k'i Hien, Ta-chien-lu, Li-tang, Pa-tang and Chiamdo, and the other to Western Yun-nan via Ts'ing-k'i Hien, Ning-yuen Fu, and Yen-yuen Hien to Ta-li Fu. From Ta-li Fu this road continues through See also:Momein to See also:Bhamo in See also:Burma.

Another road connects Pa-tang and Li-kiang Fu with Ta-li Fu, and yet another crosses the southernmost corner of the province connecting Tung-ch'uen Fu in Yun-nan with Ta-li Fu in the same province. In 1910 a See also:

loan of 6,000,000 was arranged for the construction of a railway from See also:Hankow through the provinces of Hu-peh and Sze-ch`uen to Ch'eng-tu Fu. The products of Sze-ch'uen include See also:silk, See also:tea, See also:rice, See also:sugar, See also:hemp, See also:vegetable wax, See also:tobacco, See also:timber and oranges. A larger quantity of silk is produced in eastern Sze-ch'uen than in any other province of the empire. Large quantities are exported to Shen-si, Shan-si, Kan-suh, Peking, Yun-nan, Tibet, Kweichow, Kwang-si, Hu-nan and Hu-peh. See also:White wax is another valuable See also:article of the Sze-ch'uen trade. It is made exclusively in the See also:department of Kia-ting Fu, the See also:climate of wax. which appears to favour the See also:propagation of the disease among the See also:insects which is said by the natives to be the cause of the plentiful secretion of wax. This belief is See also:borne out by the fact, that in the districts where the insects breed only a small quantity of wax is produced, and experience has taught the natives the See also:advantage of breeding the insects in one district and producing the wax in another. The region of Kien-chang in the See also:south of the province has been found most suitable for breeding purposes, and it is there, therefore, on the See also:insect trees, which are evergreens with large andpointed ovate leaves, that the breeding processes are carried on. At the end of April the producers start each with a load of the eggs of the insects for the district of Kia-ting Fu, a See also:journey which on See also:foot occupies about a fortnight. The road between the two districts is very mountainous, and as exposure to the See also:heat of the See also:sun would See also:hatch the eggs too rapidly, the travellers journey only during the night. At Kia-ting Fu the eggs are eagerly bought up, and are at once put upon the wax See also:tree.

Baron von See also:

Richthofen thus describes the subsequent See also:process: " When the See also:egg balls are procured they are folded up, six or seven together in a bag of See also:palm See also:leaf. These bags are suspended on the twigs of the trees. This is all the human labour required. After a few days the insects commence coming out. They spread as a brownish film over the twigs, but do not See also:touch the leaves. The Chinese describe them as having neither shape, nor See also:head, nor eyes, nor feet. It is known that the insect is a See also:species of coccus. Gradually, while the insect is 'growing, the See also:surface of the twigs becomes encrustated with a white substance, this is the wax. No care whatever is required. The insect has no enemy, and is not even touched by ants. In the latter See also:half of August the twigs are cut off and boiled in See also:water, when the wax rises to the surface. It is then melted and poured into deep pans.

It cools down to a trans-lucent and highly crystalline substance." Tobacco is grown very generally throughout the province, and is exported in large quantites to Si-fan, Tibet, Yun-nan, Hu-nan; and the export to Hankow alone is estimated at 61 million lb annually. The best is grown in the district of P'i Hien; the next quality is said to come from See also:

Kin-t'ang Hien, and the third quality from Shih-See also:fang Hien, all these districts being in the plain of Ch'eng-tu Fu. The See also:habit, which is unknown in other provinces, of smoking the tobacco leaves rolled up in the shape of cigars obtains largely in Sze-ch'uen. See also:Salt is also produced in Sze-ch'uen in large quantities from brine, which is raised from See also:wells. Tsze-liu-tsing, in Tsze Chow, Wu-tung-kiao, hear Kia-ting Fu, Pao-ning Fu, and T'ungch'uen Fu, are the districts where the wells are most abundant. The brine is raised from the well with long See also:bamboo tubes and bamboo See also:ropes, and is then led to large pans for evaporation. In the district of Tsze-liu-tsing See also:petroleum is struck at a See also:depth of from 1800 to 2000 ft., and is used for evaporating the brine. See also:Coal, See also:iron and See also:copper are found in many parts. The only coal worked is of an inferior quality, and the iron is smelted with See also:wood alone. Ning-yuen Fu is the See also:principal district from which the copper is produced. See also:Wheat, See also:barley, beans, rice, See also:Indian See also:corn, potatoes, &c., are among the other products of Sze-ch'uen. Chung •K'ing Fu (pop. about 600,000) is the principal treaty See also:port.

It imports textiles, See also:

aniline dyes, metals, soap, petroleum &c., and exports silk, wax, tobacco, sugar, oil, See also:musk, medicinal See also:plants, &c. By the terms of the See also:Mackay Treaty, signed at See also:Shanghai in 1902, the port of Wan Hien (pop. 140,000), which is situated on the Yangtsze-kiang, 200 M. below Chung-K'ing Fu, was opened to trade in 1905. Both See also:Protestant and See also:Roman See also:Catholic See also:missions are at work in the province; the Protestants opening their first See also:mission station, at Chung-K'ing, in 1877. See L. See also:Richard, Comprehensive See also:Geography of the Chinese Empire, pp. 104–119 and the authorities there cited (Shanghai, 1908) ; also The Province of Sze-ch'uen," in The Chinese Empire (M. See also:Broom-See also:hall ed.; See also:London, 1907) ; and See also:Colonel C. C. Manifold, " See also:Recent Exploration and Economic Development in Central and Western China," in Geog. Journ. (1904), vol. See also:xxiii.

End of Article: SZECHENYI, ISTVAN, COUNT (1791-186o)

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