1897 — Page 254

(Q4)

AMOUNT OF PAPER CURRENCY IN CIRCULATION.

The Notes of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, and the National Bank of China, Limited, in circulation during the year ending 31st December, 1897, were in amount as follows :-

Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China.

Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.

National Bank of China, Limited.

January,

2,349,492

5,918,479

361,648

February,

2,812,142

6,466,094

365,275

March,

1,935,600

5,701,753

391,672

April,

1,862,008

5,832,437

343,739

May,.........................

2,125,674

5,254,946

363,810

June............

2,338,427

5,214,437

327,096

July,

2,233,855

5,051,558

388,006

August,

2,538,310

4,925,978

353,347

September,

2,656,656

5,426,120

388,780

October,

2,803,076

5,798,252

370,580

November,

2,820,782

5,892,270

450,000

December,

2,998,367

5,947,463

448,614

ACCOUNTS KEPT IN.

The Accounts of the Colonial Government were formerly kept in Sterling, but from the 1st July, 1862, they have been kept in Dollars, in accordance with instructions from Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for

the Colonies.

The Accounts of the Mercantile establishments are and have been always kept in Dollars.