6th. Economic condition of Fishermen. — The Chinese 

 fishermen are very frugal. In the Chinese Catalogue 

 (pp. 4 & 5) are given some interesting particulars relating 

 to their condition, earnings, guilds, etc. Without any 

 knowledge of political economy or the laws of capital and 

 labour, they have solved the question of distribution of 

 profits in a practical manner and to the satisfaction of all. 

 They are very charitable and help each other in times of 

 distress, there being no benefit or insurance societies. In 

 the Chinese Collection there are specimens of the garments 

 worn by successive generations of Chinese fishermen, and 

 proved by long experience to be the best adapted to the con- 

 ditions of their work. There are also models of their huts, 

 and of their Guildhalls and temples, showing not only the 

 domestic economy but also the civil and religious organisa- 

 tion of the craft, and illustrating in a striking manner one 

 curious line of connection between East and West — from 

 the Guildhall of the fishermen at Haimen to the Fish- 

 mongers' Hall in London — from the fishermen's temples 

 with their annual festivals on which large sums arc ex- 

 pended, to the religious processions and services on the 

 western shores of France. 



7th. Corals, etc. — Shells of "all descriptions are plentiful in 

 China, and are used in various ways : — for windows, fog- 

 horns, ash-cellars, necklaces, scoops, flower vases, etc., of 

 which there are several specimens in the Chinese Collec- 

 tion. The unique Buddha shells (p. 49 of Catalogue), 

 which have attracted the observation of visitors, constitute 

 a very important and successful industry at Hangchow. 



The cultivation of oysters is on a very large scale, and 

 dates from a remote age. A model of an oyster bed is 

 shown in the Chinese Collection, and a description of the 

 oyster fishery is given at pp. 13 and 59 of the Catalogue. 



