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CHINA
go to Peking to pay the outlays on account of metropolitan administration, Manchu garrisons, and the Imperial Household. The singular conservatism of the Government is shown by the fact that no modification is ever effected in the costly and clumsy system followed when transmitting money from the provinces to the capital. Whether in specie or in bills, the money has to be accompanied all the way to Peking by two expectant officials, and the consequence is that the expense of transmission amounts to from one to two per cent of the total. Speaking generally, very little trustworthy information is obtainable about state expenditures in China. The following account used to be accepted as fairly accurate, but, as will presently be shown, it requires modifications:—
| Taels. | |
|---|---|
| Peking Government (including support of Manchu garrisons and Imperial Household) | 19½ millions. |
| Defense of Manchuria | 1¾ millions.„ |
| Defense of Central Asia and Kansuh province | 4¾ millions.„ |
| Aids (administrative and military) to the three southwestern provinces, Kwangsi, Kweichow, and Yunnan | 1½ millions.„ |
| Customs Administration | 2½ millions.„ |
| Provincial expenditures (administrative and military) | 36¼ millions.„ |
| 66¼ millions. |
Out of the difference—39½ million taels—between this total and the aggregate revenue of 105¾ millions, a sum of 10 millions ought to be equally divided between the Naval Board in Peking and the Southern Naval Squadron; a sum of 8 millions, allotted for forts, guns, coast defence,
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