NOTES AND QUERIES. 



A West China Research Society is being formed in Cheng-tu by 

 Union professors and others for geological and anthropological 



research. 



Mr. J. H. Edgar and a picked party propose to start in July for 

 a journey in the Upper Kin Chuan. The expedition will have as 

 ibject the investigation of local anthropology. 



Mr. Norman Shaw, Customs, Canton, writes: — 



Xotes on Chinese Cash. — "Those of your readers who were stimu- 

 lated to collect Chinese cash by the issue, under the auspices of the 

 Society, of the volume on the "Stewart Lockhart Collection," may be 

 interested to have some information on collecting. During a recent 

 residence in Swatow the writer went through 12,000 cash bought on 

 the street, and the following analysis of these cash — each of which was 

 individually examined, appears to be worth recording. 



Cash at Swatow have sadly deteriorated, as at present one tael 

 (Haikwan) will purchase from 2,300 to 2,400, against 1,500 to 1,600 

 twenty years ago. The depreciation is due to the introduction of 

 cash from Annam, of which 1,000 weigh only 47 taels, as against the 

 standard in the seventeenth century of 1,000 cash = 100 taels by weight, 

 In 100 cash at Swatow the following percentages were found— a fairly 

 constant percentage in 12,000 counted : — 



1. Annam cash 79 — 80% 



2. Manchu cash 15—16% 



3. Kuan Yung (Japanese) 3% 



4. Older than Manchu 2% 



100 



1. The Annam cash are principally Kuang Chung (-% rfi) circa 1790; 

 Chia L ung (M H) circa 1810; and Ching Sheng (f; ffi) circa 1800. 



2. Among cash issued by the Ch'ing Emperors about 30—35% 

 are those of Ch'ien Lung, Chia Ch'ing 26—27%, Tao Kuang 25%, and 

 othera represent the balance, Shun Chih and Yung Cheng being very 



and almost all Kuang Hsu found being those of Fukien province. 



