It will be seen that the British trade with Hong Kong underwent considerable fluctuations in the ten years from 1867 to 1876, but which corresponded throughout with the general Chinese commerce, differing only in so far as showing but a slight increase in the value of the British imports coming direct to China during this period, and a much larger one in those arriving by way of Hong Kong.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures in use at Hong Kong, and the British equivalents, are:

=

MONEY.

Average rate of exchange, 4s. 2d.

The Mexican Dollar
Chinese Tael =

The Mexican dollar is the only legal tender of payment for sums above two hundred cents, but silver dollars, bearing the effigy of the British sovereign, are issued from the Hong Kong mint.

Besides the above weights and measures of China, those of Great Britain are in general use in the colony.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Hong Kong.

1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Report of Governor Sir Arthur Kennedy, dated Hong Kong, July 15, 1873; in Papers relnting to H. M.'s Colonial Possessions.' Part L. London, 1874.

1874.

Report of Lieutenant-Governor Major-General Whitfield on the trade, commerce, and population of Hong Kong; in Reports on the Present State of Her Majesty's Colonial Possessions.' Part II. 8. London, 1872.

Statistics of Hong Kong; in 'Statistical Abstract for the several Colonial and other Possessions of the United Kingdom in each year from 1861 to 1875. No. XIII. London, 1877.

Trade of Hong Kong with Great Britain; in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1876.' Imp. 4. London, 1877.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Dennys (N. B.) and Mayers (W. T.), China and Japan: a Complete Guide to the Open Ports of those Countries; together with Peking, Yeddo, Hong Kong and Macao. 8. London, 1867.

Topography of China and Neighbouring States, with Degrees of Longitude and Latitude. 8. Hong Kong, 1864.

Wells (S. Williams), Chinese Commercial Guide. 8. Hong Kong, 1863.

INDIA.

Constitution and Government.

THE present form of government of the Indian empire is established by the Act 21 and 22 Victoriæ, cap. 106, called An Act for the better Government of India,' sanctioned August 2, 1858. By the terms of this Act, all the territories heretofore under the government of the East India Company are vested in Her Majesty, and all its powers are exercised in her name; all territorial and other revenues and all tributes and other payments are likewise received in her name, and disposed of for the purposes of the government of India alone, subject to the provisions of this Act. One of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, called the Secretary of State for India, is invested with all the powers hitherto exercised by the Company or by the Board of Control. By Act 39 & 40 Victoriæ, cap. 10, proclaimed at Delhi, before all the princes and high dignitaries of India, January 1, 1877, the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland assumed the additional title of India Imperatrix, or Empress of India.

The executive authority in India is vested in a Governor-General or Viceroy, appointed by the Crown, and acting under the orders of the Secretary of State for India. By Act 24 and 25 Victoriæ, cap. 67, amended by Acts 28 Victoriæ, cap. 17, and 32 and 33 Victoria, cap. 98, the Governor-General in Council has power to make laws for all persons, whether British or native, foreigners or others, within the Indian territories under the dominion of Her Majesty, and for all subjects of the Crown within the dominions of Indian princes and states in alliance with Her Majesty

Governor-General of India.-Right Hon. Edward Robert Lord Lytton, G.C.B., born November 8, 1831, son of Edward first Lord Lytton, previously Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, statesman and author. Educated at Harrow, and at the University of Bonn, Germany, and entered the diplomatic career in 1849. Attaché at Washington, United States, 1849-51; at Florence, 1852-54; at Paris, 1854–56; at the Hague, 1856-58; at St. Petersburg, 1858-59; and at Vienna, 1859-60. Consul at Belgrade, 1860-62; Secretary of Embassy at Vienna, 1862-63; at Copenhagen, 1863-64; at Athens, 1864-65; at Lisbon, 1865-68; chargé d'Affaires at Vienna, 1868-69; at Madrid, 1870-72; and at Paris, 1872-74. Envoy extraordinary to Portugal, 1874, and to France 1875. Appointed Governor-General of India, as successor to Lord Northbrook, February 12, 1876; assumed the government at Calcutta, April 12, 1876.

The salary of the Governor-General is 25,000l. a year, exclusive of allowances, which are estimated at 12,0007.

The following is a list of the Governors-General of India with the dates of their appointments :—

The average term of office of the Governors-General, during the century from 1772 to 1876, was five years.

The government of the Indian Empire is entrusted by Act 21 and 22 Victoriæ, cap. 106, amended by 32 and 33 Victoriæ, cap. 97, to a Secretary of State for India, aided by a Council of fifteen members, of whom at first seven were elected by the Court of Directors from their own body, and eight were nominated by the Crown. In future, vacancies in the Council will be filled up by the Secretary of State for India. But the major part of the Council must be of persons who have served or resided ten years in India, and not have left India more than ten years previous to the date of their appointment; and no person not so qualified can be appointed unless nine of the continuing members be so qualified. The office is held for a term of ten years; but a member may be removed upon an address from both Houses of Parliament, and the Secretary of State for India may for special reasons re-appoint a member of the Council for a further term of five years. No member can sit in Parliament. The duties of the Council of State are, under the direction of the Secretary of State, to conduct the business transacted in the United Kingdom in relation to the government of and the correspondence with India; but every order sent to India must be signed by the Secretary, and all despatches from governments and presidencies in India must be addressed to the Secretary. The secretary has to divide the Council into committees, to direct what departments shall be under such committees respectively, and to regulate the transaction of business. The Secretary is to be president of the Council, and has to appoint from time to time a vice-president, The meetings of the Council are to be held when and as the secretary shall direct; but at least one meeting must be held every week, at which not less than five members shall be present.

The Government in India is exercised by the 'Council of the Governor General,' consisting of five ordinary members, and one extraordinary member, the latter the commander-in-chief. The ordinary members of the Council preside over the departments of foreign affairs, finances, the interior, military administration, and public works, but do not form part, as such, of what is designated in European governments a 'Cabinet.' The appointment of the ordinary members of the Council of the Governor-General,' the governors of Presidencies, and of the governors of provinces is made by the Crown. The lieutenant-governors of the various provinces are appointed by the Governor-General, subject to the approbation of the Secretary of State for India.

Revenue and Expenditure.

According to the Act of 1858, the revenue and expenditure of the Indian Empire are subjected to the control of the Secretary in Council, and no grant or appropriation of any part of the revenue can be made without the concurrence of a majority of the Council. Such parts of the revenues of India as may be remitted to England, and moneys arising in Great Britain, must be paid into the Bank of England; and paid out on drafts or orders signed by three members of the Council, and countersigned by the secretary or one of his under-secretaries.

The subjoined table gives the total gross amount of the actual revenue and expenditure of India, in each of the ten fiscal years, ending March 31, from 1867 to 1876. The termination of the financial year was changed in 1867 from the 30th of April to the 31st of March, so that the accounts of the year ending March 31, 1867, embrace a period of only eleven months:

The following table shows the distribution of the revenue and expenditure over the various presidencies and provinces in each of the financial years, ending March 31, 1875 and 1876 :—

The revenue for the fiscal year ending March 1876 was above that of any of the preceding ten years, except 1870-71, which slightly surpassed it, while the expenditure was below that of the preceding two financial years.

In the budget estimates for 1876-77, the revenue was assessed at 50,480,000l., the ordinary expenditure at 50,336,000l., and the extraordinary expenditure at 3,759,000l. The cash balances in India at the end of 1875-76 were 16,243,2147., and at the end of 1876-77 were calculated to be 13,552,6147.