extensive use among the people, taking the place of previous small paper notes of the value of 200 cowries, or one-halfpenny.

The basis of all measures of weights in Siam is the Niu, equal to 8 grains of husked rice; while the measures of length are taken from the Kup, or Keub, that is, the length of the thumb to the middle finger of a grown-up man, and the Sok, the length of the lower part of the arm, from the end of the middle finger to the elbow.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. OF SIAM IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Ambassador.-Chao Phya Bhanu Wongse Maha Kosa Tibodi ti Phrakiang, accredited July 2, 1880.

Secretary.-Phya Ratna Kosa.

2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN SIAM.

Agent and Consul-General.—Thomas George Knox, appointed Feb. 8, 1875. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Siam. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Commercial Report from H.M.'s Consul-General in Siam for the year 1870. 8. London, 1871.

Reports of Mr. Thos. Geo. Knox, Consul-General, on the trade of Siam, dated Bangkok, February 12, 1870; in Commercial Reports from H.M.'s Consuls in China and Siam.' 8. London, 1870.

Reports by Mr. W. H. Newman on the trade of the port of Bangkok, dated June 30, 1875; and by Mr. D. J. Edwardes on the state of Chiengmai and other Teak districts of Siam, dated June 17, 1875; in Commercial Reports by H. M.'s Consular Officers in Siam.' No. I. 1875. 8. London, 1875. Trade of Siam with Great Britain; in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with foreign countries and British possessions, for the year 1880.' 4. London, 1881.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Alabaster (Henry), The Modern Buddhist; being the Views of a Siamese Minister of State on His Own and other Religions. 8. London, 1870.

Bastian (Adolf), Die Völker des östlichen Asiens. 3 vols. 8. Leipzig und Jena, 1866-67.

Bowring (John), The Kingdom and People of Siam. 2 vols. 8. London, 1857. Gréhan (A.) Le royaume de Siam. 8. Paris, 1868.

Mouhot (Henry), Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia and Laos, during the years 1858-1860. 2 vols. 8. London, 1864. Pallegoix (D. J.), Description du royaume Thai ou Siam. 2 vols. 8. Paris, 1854.

Scherzer (Dr. K. von), Die wirthschaftlichen Zustände im Süden und Osten Asiens. 8. Stattgart, 1871.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Constitution and Government.

THE Constitution of New South Wales, oldest of the Australasian colonies, is embodied in the Act 18 & 19 Vict. cap. 54, proclaimed in 1855 which established a 'responsible government.' The constitution vests the legislative power in a Parliament of two Houses, the first called the Legislative Council, and the second the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council consists of not less than twenty-one members-39 in 1878-nominated by the Crown, and the Assembly of 102 members, elected in as many constituencies. To be eligible, a man must be of age, a natural-born subject of the Queen, or, if an alien, he must have been naturalised for five years, and resident for two years before election. There is no property qualification for electors, and the votes are taken by secret ballot. The executive is in the hands of a governor nominated by the Crown.

Governor of New South Wales.-Rt. Hon. Lord Augustus William Frederick Spencer Loftus, born 1818; entered the diplomatic career, 1837; Envoy and Minister to Austria, 1858–60; to Prussia, 1860– 62; and to Bavaria, 1862-66; Ambassador to Prussia and the North-German Confederation, 1866-71; Ambassador to Russia, 1871-79. Appointed Governor of New South Wales, May 3, 1879; assumed office, August 4, 1879.

The Governor, by the terms of his commission, is commander-inchief of all the troops in the colony. He has a salary of 7,000l. In the exercise of the executive he is assisted by a Cabinet of eight ministers, containing the following members :

Colonial Secretary and Premier.-Sir Henry Parkes, K.C.M.G.
Colonial Treasurer.-Hon. James Watson.

Minister of Justice and Public Instruction.-Sir George Innes.
Attorney-General.-Hon. Robert Wisdom.

Minister of Public Works.-Hon. John Lackey.
Postmaster-General.-Hon. F. B. Sutter.

Minister of Mines.-Hon. Ezekiel A. Baker.
Secretary for Lands.-Hon. James Hoskins.

The Colonial Secretary has a salary of 2,000l., and the other ministers of 1,500. The Cabinet is responsible for its acts to the Legislative Assembly.

Revenue and Expenditure.

The principal part of the public revenue, in recent years, was derived from the sale and rent of public lands, which produced more than one-half of the total annual receipts. The next important source of revenue was from customs duties, which yielded, on the average, nearly one-fourth of the total annual receipts. Direct taxation does not exist.

The revenue and expenditure of the colony, including under the first head loans, and under the latter sums disbursements for public works, were as follows in each of the ten years 1871 to 1880:—

The expenditure for 1880 included 400,000l. for new public works. The estimated revenue for 1882 is 6,240,000l., and expenditure, 5,960,000Z.

The public debt of the colony amounted to 3,830,230l. in 1860, to 6,418,030l. in 1866, to 6,917,630l. in 1867, to 8,564,8301. in 1868, to 9,546,0301. in 1869, to 11,470,6377. in 1875, to 14,903,9197. in 1880. The debt was chiefly incurred for railways, telegraphs, and other reproductive public works. The expenditure on railways and telegraphs alone amounted to 11,343,0637. at the end of 1880.

Area and Population.

New South Wales, discovered by Captain Cook in 1770, was first colonised by convicts in 1788, the British Government having sent thither 565 male and 192 female prisoners condemned to transportation for life. The colony originally embraced all the territory from Cape York in the parallel of 10° 37' south latitude, to South Cape in latitude 43° 29′ south, including the islands in the Pacific within this latitude, and inland to the westward as far as the 135th