-----------+------------+-----------+ |_Almanac de | | | Gotha_, |Revenue in | PROVINCES. |1882, taken | taels of | |from Chinese|$1.33 each.| | Customs’ | | | Reports. | | -----------+------------+-----------+ Chihlí | 28,000,000| 3,942,000| Shantung | 29,000,000| 6,344,000| Shansí | 17,056,925| 6,313,000| Honan | 29,069,771| 5,651,000| Kiangsu | {37,800,000|}11,733,000| Nganhwui | {34,200,000|} | Kiangsí | 23,000,000| 3,744,000| Chehkiang | 26,300,000| 5,856,000| Fuhkien | 14,800,000| 2,344,000| Hupeh | {27,400,000| 2,091,000| Hunan | {20,048,969| 1,905,000| Shensí | }10,309,769| 3,042,000| Kansuh | } 9,285,377| 563,000| Sz’chuen | 35,000,000| 2,968,000| Kwangtung | 19,200,000| 193,000| Kwangsí | 8,121,327| 794,000| Kweichau | 5,679,128| 185,000| Yunnan | 5,823,670| 432,000| Shingking | .........| .......| +------------+-----------+ | 380,000,000| 58,097,000| -----------+------------+-----------+ ~THE CENSUSES INDIVIDUALLY CONSIDERED.~ The first census of 1662 (No. 4), is incidentally mentioned by Kienlung in 1791, as having been taken at that time, from his making some observations upon the increase of the population and comparing the early censuses with the one he had recently ordered. This sum of 21,068,600 does not, however, include all the inhabitants of China at that date; for the Manchus commenced their sway in 1644, and did not exercise full authority over all the provinces much before 1700; Canton was taken in 1650, Formosa in 1683. The census of 1668 (No. 5), shows a little increase over that of 1662, but is likewise confined to the conquered portions; and in those provinces which had been subdued, there were extensive tracts which had been almost depopulated at the conquest. Any one who reads the recitals of Semedo, Martini, Trigautius, and others, concerning the massacres and destruction of life both by the Manchus and by Chinese bandits, between 1630 and 1650, will feel no loss in accounting for the diminution of numbers, down to 1710. But the chief explanation of the decrease from sixty to twenty-seven millions is to be found in the object of taking the census, viz., to levy a poll-tax, and get at the number of men fit for the army--two reasons for most men to avoid the registration.