Dur Book Table. From the editor of the "China Mail," we receive a valuable series of articles reprinted from that Daily, on The Revenue of China-a study of special interest at the present time. The results of these investigations are that the sources of revenue are:-1. Land tax, portion payable in silver, Taels 20,000,000; The Illustrated Catalogue of The Chinese Collection of Exhibits* for the International Health Exhibition, London, 1884, published by the Imperial Maritime Customs, makes a very respectable pamphlet of 189 pages. It is divided into twenty six chapters, covering such items as, Dress, Bridal Ceremony, Specimens of Silks, Satins, Grass-cloth, 2. Land tax, Rice tribute, Rice Shoes, Funeral Ceremony, Ovens, levy, 7,000,000; 3. Salt Gabel Sedan Chair, Peking Cart, Wheelbarrow, Bows and Arrows, Stoves, Furniture, Soapstone-ware, Grain and Pulse, Restaurant, Decorations, Shops, and Chinese Music. A number of coarse illustrations, can hardly be said to adorn the Catalogue. As is fitting for such a literary land as China, some forty pages are devoted to Books. Only three of these pages are however occupied with purely native literature. Five pages, embracing some 60 different works, are the products of the so-called " Shanghai," or Kiangnan, Arsenal, covering a wide range of scientific subjects. By far the most prominent name among the translators of these works is Mr. J. Fryer, while that of Dr. Y. J. Allen appears frequently. About thirty pages are covered with a list of the publications of Protestant Missions, in fourteen different languages. We cannot now analyse-Taels 150 on foreign, and Taels this list; but, besides the Scriptures 75 on native, opium-which should and Religious books, the names of yield, at the least, Taels 3,000,000. about seventy works are given, on “But a reform of this or any other such subjects as History, Geography, Political Economy, Natural nature implies honest agents to Philosophy, Mathematics, Astro- carry it out, and until there is some nomy, Storms, Geology, Music, prospect of honesty being insisted Chemistry, and Medicine. on from Head-quarters, all suggestions of the kind are useless." [Kelly & Walsh, $1.50.] and Likin 9,000,000; 4. Maritime Customs under Foreign supervision, 13,000,000; 5. Native Customs 5,000,000; 6. Likin 9,500,000— making a total of Taels 64,000,000. Of this the Imperial Government appears to get, for Imperial purposes, its share of the Customs, and a sum averaging Taels 7,000,000 from the various provinces, together with certain special contributions, called for from time to time by the Board of Revenue from the Provincial Funds. Says the author: "All the evidence we meet with in China goes to show that this country is so heavily taxed, that it is utterly impossible by any legitimate means to increase the yield." The suggestion is made that Likin and all inland taxation on trade should be abolished on every thing but salt, and the loss be made up by increased duties on opium, native and foreign Editorial Notes and Missionary News. Editorial. The least we can do is to thank our friends, and those of The Recorder, for the many encouraging words we have of late received. We have by no means attained to our ideal, and have much before us which we hope in due time to accomplish. We are thankful for the various offers of assistance we have received, and for the various favors already in hand. Our present difficulties arise, not from a want of articles for the literary part of the journal, but from the limited space at our command-so limited that we fear some may be troubled by not seeing their communications in print earlier than we shall be able to arrange. We beg for a charitable consideration from all such. It is always one of the thorns in the editorial rose, that the editor may bring trouble upon himself, both by printing, and by not printing, the productions of his patrons upon whose approval his interests so closely depend. In this connection we will venture a suggestion. Now that The Recorder has become a Monthly, something of change is called for in the nature of the articles. What we need are short, spicy, condensed, and readable papers-not usually exceeding eight or ten printed pages, and if they fall below eight pages, so much the better, usually. We know the tyrany of prescribing the measure of inspiration that should be exercised by men of genius; but we know also that the thoughts of a writer, may be held largely in command, and may be expressed more or less wordily. We speak for the less wordy, and more thought-full, productions of our friends. Besides these more substantial Leyden jars, charged with electric thought and fact, we hope to receive many fragments of news from all parts of the Chinese field. We will try and economize all that may come to hand. PERSONAL ITEMS. It may not be generally known. that the Rev. T. M. Yates, D.D., not long since received the offer of the Presidency of his Alma Mater, Lake Forest College, North Carolina. Attractive as the offer must in many respects have been, he declined it, preferring to remain at his present post in Shanghai. We note with pleasure the return of Rev. W. McGregor, of the English Presbyterian Mission, to Amoy; and also that of Rev. T. Bryson of the London Society Mission formerly of Hankow. On the other hand, our numbers are diminished-we will hope only temporarily-by the departure of the Rev. J. Innocent of Tientsin, the Rt. Rev. J. S. Burdon of Hongkong, Rev. W. Ashmore, D.D., of Swatow, and Rev. G. Cockburn of Ichang, and Rev. W. S. Ament of Peking. The return of Mr. Ament to China is however uncertain, in consequence of filial obligations at home. The Rev. T. P. Crawford, D.D., of Tungchow Fu, recently passed through our metropolis, on his way to America, to engage, as we learned from him, in more fully informing the home churches regarding the wants of China, and regarding the best methods of missionary work. We also gathered that he has in hand some literary project regarding the Patriarchal Dynasties. From the Quarterly Record of the National Bible Society of Scotland, for January, we learn that Mr. W. H. Murray, of Peking, has had a successful year's work. "In a recent visit to Mongolia he disposed of 7,506 portions of Scripture, and THE BOOK AND TRACT SOCIETY We have received from Rev. Alexander Williamson, LL.D., the Honorary Secretary of the Foreign Committee of the above newly organized Society, its first Prospectus, containing the list of officers, a statement regarding the origin of the Society, its nature, work and aims, with its constitution, and a "List of School Books already Published and on Sale," with those in preparation. The worthy Secretary of its Foreign Committee has evidently expended a great amount of effective labor in securing the co-operation of so many distinguished men as Officers and Directors, under the Presidency of His Grace the Duke of Argyll. The document is too extended for reproduction in our columns, which is to be the less regretted, as it has no doubt already had wide circulation. The objects and principles of the Society are stated to be the same as those of the Religious Tract Society of London, and it is hoped to secure a permanent supply of new books on different subjects every season, and to start a periodical of a high character. culties in the full execution of the plan. In the first place, no reference seems to have been had to the several Tract Societies already in the field, in which a large share of the missionary talent and energy of the land are enlisted. And again, it looks as though it were taken for granted that "The School and Text Book Committee," appointed by the General Conference of Missionaries in 1877, and which has done such efficient work, will vacate its important sphere, and that "the works already published, and those in hand, with the stock of engravings and stereotypes and other preparations already made, will form the nucleus of the Society"an arrangement with which should suppose the Committee may not find itself able to comply, in view of its relations to the general body of missionaries in China. we We have been permitted to see Secretary Thompson's Report to the London Missionary Society regarding his visit to China from March 30th to June 16th, 1883. As it is however "Printed for the use of the Directors," we do not feel at liberty to use it as we otherwise should. The twenty four closely packed folio pages give evidence in every line of a faculty for gaining and imparting information, especially valuable in a Secretary. It is recommended that at least six additional missionaries be sent to China without delay-two of whom should be medical men, one for Hongkong and one for Tientsin. If the Mongolian Mission be undertaken, other two men will be needed, one of whom should be a medical missionary. Two ladies are required for Amoy, and two for Shanghai. A map is appended with those portions shaded which are under re There is a Home and a Foreign Committee. The Foreign Committee consists of Rev. Wm. Muirhead, Chairman and Treasurer; John Fryer, Esq., Honorary General Editor; Rev. Alex. Williamson, LL.D., Honorary Secretary; and the Right Rev. Bishop Burdon, Rev. Dr. Young J. Allen, Rev. Dr. J. Chalmers, Rev. G. S. Owen, Rev. E. Faber, Rev. D. Hill, Rev. R. Lech-gular visitation by the missionaries ler, Rev. H. L. Mackenzie, and Rev. of the Society, and it is well remarkTimothy Richard. ed that were all the Societies now at work in China similarly indicated, the portion untouched would still far exceed those shaded." All this is very admirable and desirable, but, if we mistake not, there may be some practical diffi 66 HOSPITAL REPORTS. We have before us the Medical Missionary Hospital Reports for 1874, of Chin-chow and Fatshan. The Chin-chow Hospital and Dispensary, in connection with the Amoy Mission of the Church of England, is under the care of David Grant, M.B.,C.M. Dr. Grant reports 491 in-patients, and 12,685 visits of 3,345 out-patients, besides 73 cases seen at their homes, not including cholera patients. "We had," says the report, "a most agreeable class of people attending the Hospital last year, who, as a rule, were very grateful for any benefit received." The Wesleyan Missionary Hospital at Fatshan, 15 miles from Canton, is under the care of Drs. Wenyon and MacDonald, with Mr. Anton Andersson as apothecary. It is a large establishment with more than 150 beds. Relief is not altogether gratuitous, in-patients being asked to pay a small entrance fee, and to provide their own food; private rooms are let for two dollars a month. For visits to private patients at their homes, a fee of one dollar is required. Notwithstanding the excitements of the year, and the partial destruction of two mission chapels in the town, the hospital, though threatened, escaped actual molestation. In-patients numbered 722; out-patients, 4,486; patients visited at home, 67; making a total of 5,275 new cases, which with 4,363 old cases, made a grand total of 9,638 attendances. The Central China Religious Tract Society sends us its Ninth Annual Report. Its issues during 1884 amounted to 347,285 publications, and its income and expenditure to upwards of 2,500 Taels. It does not itself undertake the work of circulation, simply however for the want of available funds. Eight colporteurs employed by the National Bible Society of Scotland have disseminated tracts freely, generally receiving "no salary beyond the proceeds of the books they sell, nor have they required more books than in value would equal the sum they might claim as wages." Three new tracts have been added to the Catalogue during the year, making the total number fifty-two different publications. The income of the Society consisted mainly of $1,048 from the London Tract Society, $1,186 from Sales; and $109 from Subscriptions. STATISTICS OF MISSIONS. We print all the statistics that come to hand, even though they come through round-about channels; but we would be much obliged to our friends of the various missions throughout the land if they would, from time to time send us their yearly statistical reports as soon as they are compiled. Each mission is interested in knowing the progress of all the other missions, and these condensed reports are one of the ways in which we learn of each other. From the statistics of the Foochow Methodist Conference for 1884 the following items are gathered : Members, 1,787, increase 107; Probationers, 950, increase 83; Sunday-school scholars, 1,387; Contributions for support of pastors, $708, for church building, $995, for missionary purposes, $171. The London Missionary Society in 1884 reported in all China a membership of 2,924. The London Missionary Society's Mission at Amoy, at its Annual Meeting in March, reports its statistics as follows:-Churches, 23; outstations, 11; membership, 1,525— 146 admitted during the year; net gain of 90; contributions, raised and disbursed by themselves, $2,653, mainly for salaries of pastors, the balance for chapel building, schools, and incidental expenses. The American Methodist Episcopal Board (North) has appropriated for its Missions in China for 1885, a total of $69,803, distributed as follows:-In General, $2,182; Foochow, $15,804; Central China, $22,668; North China, $20,292; West China, $8,857. For Chinese Missions in the United States there is appropriated $11,900. The American Presbyterian Board of Missions (North) reports for 1844, as connected with its China Mission, 33 ordained, 5 lay, and 48 female, American Missionaries; 16 ordained, 34 licentiate, and 134 lay native helpers; 3,302 communicants a gain in one year of 543-and 2,092 scholars in boarding and day schools. The expenditures for China were $98,240, and for Chinese in the United States $15,939. We learn from Japan that the Protestant Churches in that land, on the 31st, of December, 1884, numbered 120, with a membership of 7,791, and that the contributions of the native Churches for 1884 amounted to $18,220.88. We clip the following from The Friend of Honolulu, Sandwich Islands:- "The war in China having resulted in much hardship and persecution to the Christian Chinese in that land, the sympathies of our Christian Chinese on these islands have been enlisted for their suffering brethren in the home land, and at the close of last year a contribution of $320 was sent forward by them to Rev. Lechler to be distributed among the needy Chinese Christians of southern China, without regard to sect or denomination. The boys also of the Chinese school here made up a little purse among themselves of about eight dollars as their contribution to aid the children of those suffering ones. Surely this is a noble example. 'By their fruits ye shall know them are the words of Christ." The London Mission, at Tientsin are strongly augmenting their forces. The Rev. T. Bryson, after laboring for seventeen years at Hankow and Wuchang has, on account of Mrs. Bryson's health, removed thither. Besides that, Mrs. Lance has arrived in order to commence work among the native women, thus opening out a new and necessary work in connection with the Church there. We hear also that before the close of the year the medical staff will be augmented. EVANGELISTIC EFFORTS. The Rev. J. L. Stuart'writes as follows from Hangchow on the 20th of March :-"On the third day of the Chinese year, February 17th, all the missionaries of this city and their native assistants, organized themselves into a society whose object is the mutual improvement of the members in Christian grace, and the preaching of the gospel to those who do not generally attend our street chapels. We propose to hold monthly meetings for conference and prayer, and to keep up daily preaching in the open air in some place of concourse in the city. The society consists of twenty working members, who are arranged into four companies of five each-two missionaries and three native helpers. Each company is on duty for one week in the open-air preaching service. The daily open-air preaching begun on February 22nd, and has been kept up now for one month. The plan is to meet at a convenient place for prayer at 2.30 P.M., and then proceed in company to the place of preaching. For the first two weeks the city hill was chosen as the place of preaching, and then a change was made to a place near the centre of the city, which is the Vanity Fair of the city. The services are always begun and closed with prayer, and there are two turns at preaching, each person speaking about fifteen minutes on some topic previously assigned him. The audiences vary in number, from a few tens to two hundred. One who has been at some pains to count and estimate the number of hearers which is constantly changing, thinks that on an average one hundred |