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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 September 2009
Tseang-yew-tëen (Governor of Chǐh-le province), Pëen tsow, i. e. shortly addresses his Imperial Majesty on the subject of the tribute bearer from the Mëen-tëen nation, now on his way from Peking back to his native country. I deputed civil and military officers to escort him safely and diligently. Now the magistrate of Tsze-chow district reports that the said envoy proceeds very well and peaceably on his journey; and that on the 13th of the 3d moon (11th April) he had been escorted as far as Gan-yang-hëen in Ho-nan province, where he had been transferred to the care of the local officers, to continue his progress. It is right that I present this short address on the subject.
page 254 note * For the Chinese characters, see Plate III, No. 1.
page 254 note † See Plate III, No. 2.
page 254 note ‡ On examining the site of this Mëen-tëeen nation, on a very valuable map belonging to the East-India Company, and copied with great exactness from the actual surveys of the missionaries, it is found exactly to correspond to the eastern part of the Burman empire, being placed on the frontier of Yun nan province, between 22° and 25° latitude. Close to this, on the same map, is the name § Ah-wa (Ava). The following rivers pass from Yun nan province into the Burman territory, viz. ‖ Lung-chuen keang, Dragon-stream river; · Pin-lang keang, Betel-nut river. Somewhat to the northward of these, is, Kin-sha keang, Golden sand river. To the northward of Mëen-tëen, towards Thibet, and the Berhampooter river (which latter is written by the Chinese, A-loo-tsang-poo, and exactly answers, in their way of spelling, to E-re-chom-boo, the Thibetian name, according to Turner) the map contains Noo-e, which either means “the angry, or savage foreigners;” or is used merely to express a foreign sound.
page 254 note § See Plate III, No. 3.
page 254 note ‖ See Plate III, No. 4.
page 254 note ¶ See Plate III, No. 5.
page 254 note ** See Plate III, No. 6.
page 254 note †† See Plate III, No. 7.
page 255 note * Such is the old established rule; but having been found inconvenient, it is sometimes relaxed. The Viceroy of Shen-se and Kan-sǔh has proposed lately to the Emperor, to confine it to the provinces close to the capital, and excuse the distant ones.
page 255 note † Tang yuê chin. In the Company's large MS map it is placed on the borders of the Burmese empire, between Betel-nut and Dragon-stream rivers.
page 256 note * Tsëen, pronounced Tchen, to the northward, and called by Europeans at Canton, cash.
page 256 note † See Plate III, No. 8.
page 256 note ‡ Taking the Tchen at their proper value, the annual addition to the circulation in this province would be about £14,400, and of the whole empire, taking it at fifteen provinces, £216,000. It was probably the great bulk of the coin, in proportion to its value, which induced the necessity of provincial mints.
page 257 note * The Yuen dynasty or Mongol conquerors of China, established a paper money for the pay of their troops (a fact which is noticed by Marco Polo); but, ignorant of the truth, that thecirculation cannot absorb, or take up, more than a limited quantity, without a depreciation of its value, they continued their extravagant issues of paper, until it became nearly worthless; notwithstanding their absurd attempts to keep up its credit, by forbidding the use of any medium of exchange but this. The final expulsion of the Mongol Tartars may be attributed in some measure to the ruin induced by the above cause. In an interesting memoir on this subject (a copy of which was obligingly transmitted by its author to the Translator of the foregoing), M. Klaproth very truly observes, that the Manchow Tartars, the last conquerers of China, have never attempted to put paper money in circulation; adding, “car ces barbares ignorent encore le principe fondamental de toute bonne administration financière, savoir, que plus un pays a de dettes, plus il est riche et heureux.”
page 257 note † See Plate III, No. 9.
page 257 note ‡ See Plate III, No. 10.
page 257 note § See Plate III, No. 11.
page 258 note * See Plate III, No. 12.
page 258 note ‡ See Plate III, No. 14.
page 258 note § See Plate III, No. 15.