China and the Chinese

commence or try a different one. The only accounts, therefore, likely to be kept at the bank, are such as, from the smallness of their amounts, will not pay; as in all probability, the principal deposits will be from government servants, who could not make any considerable lodgments from their monthly pay, or from European shopkeepers and petty speculators, whose accounts would rarely exceed one hundred pounds.

From the information we have obtained, it appears the result of the experiment has been in conformity with the mercantile predictions; the local government, however, have given every encouragement to the undertaking, and very properly have allowed the bank a military guard.

Although the Chinese bankers will change coin, there are numerous money-shops and money-changers, who gain immense sums by trading in money. The trade must be a most lucrative calling in China, if we can form an opinion from the numbers engaged in it. In the money-changing shops no coin will be changed, unless an article is purchased, or some few cash paid for the accommodation. In this manner, and by intermixing spurious coin, they must make enormous profits. The money-changers may be constantly seen in the bazaars and streets, and are distinguishable by a long string of cash, hanging, like an alderman's or lord mayor's chain, around their necks; and piles of this copper coin are arranged in stands before them.

Pawnbrokers flourish as much in China, if not more than in England, and are licensed by and pay a tax to the government. The rate of interest at which they lend money is exorbitant, but the scale is fixed by law. These establishments usually

consist of several partners, and it is no unusual occurrence for a Minister of State, or Viceroy of a province, to have shares in pawn-shops. Every description of article is received in pledge, and, as no questions are asked, they are the great receivers of stolen goods. Gods from temples, bells from josshouses, pictures, trinkets, furniture, clothing, the most expensive to the most trivial mechanical tool, may be found in a Chinese pawnbroker's. The mode of transacting business is methodical, the system similar to our own, tickets being given corresponding to ours, and a duplicate attached to the article pledged.

All in these establishments appear to thrive, and the person in charge of the shop generally has a most comely and prosperous appearance his dress betokening wealth, and the embonpoint of his person is the beau ideal of Chinese ideas of masculine beauty.

China is not only as striking an example as can be found amongst the nations of the earth, of great inequality of wealth amongst the population, but of the extremes of wealth and poverty; for in the Celestial Empire there are many Rothschilds amongst her merchants, and George Hudsons (the railroad king), amongst her monopolists, but there are also many a Lazarus, and starving mendicant in her streets.

Owing to the absolute monarchy of China, the fluctuation and insecurity of wealth is greater than in any other country-to-day a mandarin is one of the richest in the land; to-morrow he is disgraced, and not only the whole of his wealth confiscated, and declared forfeited to the Emperor, but that of his sons, brothers, and other relations, if he have any.

A merchant is amongst the healthiest of his class;

has junks, shares in banks, pawn-shops, salt-works, and mercantile establishments, has houses, lands, and is in the most prosperous circumstances; the merchant is detected in purchasing or smuggling opium; before sunset he is arraigned, in a few short days the whole of his vast wealth, that of his sons, brothers, and relations, is in like manner forfeited. The mandarin and merchant are now equal-alike criminals and beggars. We have been enabled to obtain, through the kindness of an esteemed friend, a statistical return of the revenue of China for the year 1847, which we believe will be found interesting; especially as it proves what we have before stated, namely, that the finances of China are not in a flourishing condition.

Revenue Returns of the Chinese Empire in 1847. Land-tax

Forwarded to the capital in kind from

the various Provinces 4,719,385 shih of Rice and other grain, equivalent to