mCONVENIENCES OF COPPER CURRENCY. 97 



the tenth of a kiang is 2i /eng; 16 Hangs make a 

 king (or hing\ The weight of the ounce varies ac- 

 cording to the three different scales used, viz. govern- 

 ment, market, and hand-balance. The purest silver 

 is cast in wedge-shaped ingots, each weighing about 

 50 ounces and bearing the government mark, or the 

 stamp of the private firm which has cast them. 

 There is less alloy in this than in any other. In pay- 

 ing small sums you cut off bits from the ingot as you 

 require them, weighing them in a hand-balance ; for 

 larger dealings a pair of scales and two bowls are 

 used. In these transactions the experienced China- 

 man invariably gets the better of you, by inclining 

 the balance one way or the other, according as he 

 has to pay or receive ; he will also cheat you, in the 

 quality, particularly when in small lumps, which are 

 apt to contain a good deal of bad metal. 



I should also mention that petty transactions are 

 ordinarily settled with cash,^ which are so heavy 

 that a ruble's worth (about 2s. 8d.) weighs on 

 an average 8. lbs. Of course you cannot take 

 enough coins with you,'"^ and are, therefore, obliged 

 to exchange your silver as you find It necessary ; 

 your difficulties are further increased by the different 

 rates of exchange in almost every town and in many 

 of the villages In China. In some places, 30 cash 

 count as a hundred, In others 50, у8, 8o, 92, 98 are 

 worth no more : an absurdity which could only be 



^ To facilitate calculations 500 cash are strung on a cord by means 

 of a square hole in each. 



- 15/. worth of copper cash weigh 6h cwts., or about three c.imcl- 

 loads, whilst the cost of each camel is nearly 35/. ! 



VOL. I. H 



