866
CHINA.
that there are almost constant deficits, which the governors and high officials of
pro vinces must cover by extraordinary taxation. The public revenue is mainly derived from three sources, namely, customs duties, licences, and a tax upon land, but the receipts from the foreign customs are alone made known. According to the returns published by the Government, the total receipts from foreign customs were as fellow in each of the sixteen years from 1872 to 1887:-
I F.
YEAR.
RAVIXT1.
|| Haikwan Tls.
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878.
1879.
RIVENUB.
Haikwan Tls.
11,678,636
1880
10,977,082
1881
11,497,272 1882.
11,968,109
1883.
12.152,921
1884
12,067,078
1885
12,483.9×8
1886
13,531,670
1887.
14,258.583
14,685,162
14.085,672
13.266.757
13,510,712
14.472,766
15,144.678
20,541,399
China had no foreign debt till the end of 1874, when a loan of £627,675. bearing 8 per cent. interest, was contracted through the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, under Imperial authority and secured by the customs' revenue. Since then a number of loans have been raised, most of the in through the agency of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, several of which have been paid off. The total Foreign debt of China is, however, still inconsiderable.
AREA AND Population.
China proper, extending over 73,093 geographical, or 1,534,953 English square miles, is divided into eighteen provinces, the area and population of which are given as follow in the most recent estimates, partly based on official returns:-
Chihli Shantung
Shansi
Honan.
Kiangs
Anhwei
Kiangsi Fohkien
PROVINCE.
PROVINCIAL CAPITAL.
AMBA ENGLISH SQUARE MILES.
ESTIMATI POPULATION.
Peking. Tsinan
Taiyuen
Kaifung
Nanking
Nganking
Nanchang
58,949
28,114,023
65,104
28.958.764
55,268
27,260,281
65,104
23,037,171
37,843,501
92,661
₫ 34,168,059
72,176
30,426,999
53,480
38,888,432
Hangchow
39,150
26,256,784
Wuchang
37,370,098
381,724
Changchau
18,652,507
Sigan
10,207,256
154,008
Lanchow
15,193,135
Chingtau..
166,800
21,435.678
Canton..
79,456
19,147,030
Kwelin
78,250
7,313,895
Yunnan Kweiyang
107,869
5,561,320
64,554
5,288,219
1,534,953 405,213,152
Chekiang Hapel Juman
Z: usi Konsuh Sechuan Ewingtung kongsi Yunan Kwerchau
Foochow
The above population, giving 263 souls per square mile throughout China proper. appears to be excessive, considering that some of the outlying portions of the immense territory are by no means densely inhabited.
According to a Consular return the total number of foreigners in China was 8,995 at the end of 1884. Among them were 2,070 natives of Great Britain and Ireland, 469 of the United States, 364 of Germany, and 228 of France, all other nationalities being represented by very few members.
In addition to China proper there are its dependencies. The principal of these are Mongolia, with an area of 1,288,035 square miles, and some 2,000,000 people; and Manchuria, with an area of 362,313 square miles, and an estimated population of