The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-12
SILVER MONEY OF CHINA.
A Curious Combination of Foreign
and Domestic Coin.

i Consular reports and the testimony OF
| those who have resided there go to show
| that very little is known as to it's guam
| tity, while it's quality is more unstable
| than is usual with the coin of other coun-
| tries. No accurate estimate of the amount
of money in circulation appears to have
been made and no positive statement can
be set forth on a given date as to its
value a week from that time.
The value of the several coins luctuates
| with the market price of silver. upon
which they are based, and a man with a
bag full of dollars" in passing from one
province to another. may have his wealth
increased or decreased according to the
variations of the local standard called
the "tael."
The coin to which Europeans have
given the name cash is the actual cir
culating money of China. The cash is a
copper and zinc. or copper and tin, piece
about the size of the American quarter
of a dollar, with square hole in tle
centre for convenience in striBsing many
of them together. The cash varies some
what in fneness and weight. the latter
being inscribed upon it, and in general 1T
may be said to be worth one-tenth OF a
cent in gold. 1t is the money OF the COM
mon people. the unit in small monetary
transactions and is accepted in all parts
of the Empire. For few years past
there has been tendency to hoard the
cash. and since 1895 these small coins
have appreciated quite a coed deal n
value They are increasingly scarce,
pointing to the fact thai they are being
concealed by the people and by specula-
tors and hidden away as the most Vaiu-
able kind of money in the country. Cash
coins. when new, have Chinese characters
upon them giving the date and place OF
minting and their weight, together with
one or more symbols indicative OF the
splendor of the reigning sovereign Inc
main inscription is usually placed oppo-
site the four sides of the central square
on the diverse. AS a rule this inscrip-
ton gives the Emperor's official name.
the value Of the coin and an Indication
of it's authoritative exactness When
reverse inscription is used it gives the
value of the coin.
Owing to its low denomination the casn
is suited best to small transactions. For
larger sums silver money is used, ana IL
is measured by the weight called the
"tael." silver money circulates in two
forms. called the dollar and the ''sy-
Gee" The dollar was originally the Next
can dollar, which first came into China
at the trading ports. Being snowy coin
il attracted the attention of the Chinese,
was soon greatly priced by them and was
generally accepted currency. Ii was
sought after to such an extent that the
Government imported large quantities OF
the coin from Mexico and Europe. 1t was
also eagerly accepted by the Chinese
merchants at the seaports, and European
vessels brought in considerable quantities
of the coin and exchanged it for goods.
More recently minis for the coinage OF
dollars. purporting 10 be of the weight and
fineness OF the Mexican dollars, have been
established in the provinces. The inaug
uration of these loca! minis appears to
have been by the authority of the Vice
roys, and not by that of the central Gov
eminent As result the lack of super
vision or the dishonesty OF the minters.
or both combined. reduced the weight and
fineness of the dollars, thus ahording an
other reason for their fuctuation in the
market. The provincial dollars have been
usually looked upon with distrust and
merchants are very careful to weigh them
when they are received in payment for
purchase or debt. Until the recent dis
turbances of the Boxers additional 'nints
we're being established in the provinces.
the machinery for them being obtained
in the United States. Several of the larg-
er commercial ei'ies' aiionS "ne" a.
shanghai amy Iantoh' Nnei'o. a'
I1entsin' nave local mlhts iof 'ne coihase
OF silver. FROM u statement puoiisheu III
the North China News" no less than ten
dinerent CONS, called dollars were IN
circulation in Ilentsln Just before the ar
rival OF the foreign armies.
The tael. winch Is welght anu NOT
coin, differs in various cities ana prov