COIN.
The only coin of the Chinese, is called cash, (or le,) which is made of six parts of copper, and four of lead. The coins are thin and circular, and nearly an inch in diameter, having a square hole in the centre, for the convenience of tying them together, with a raised edge, both around the outside, and the hole. Those now in use, have the name of the emperor stamped upon them, in whose reign they were cast. Notwithstanding their little value, they are much adulterated with spelter; yet, on account of their convenience in paying small sums, and for common use, they generally bear a premium, and but eight hundred and fifty can commonly be obtained for a tael. The use of silver coin, however, appears to be increasing among the Chinese, as by recent accounts, we learn that silver dollars have been made in Fuh-keen and other places, contrary to the laws of the empire.
Bullion is rated by its fineness, which is expressed by dividing the weight into a hundred parts, called touches. If gold is said to be ninety-four or ninety-eight touches, it is known to have one or two parts of alloy; the remainder is pure silver metal; is estimated in the same manner; and without alloy or nearly so, is called sycee, which bears a premium according to its purity; the most pure sycees are equal in fineness to the plata-pina of Peru, which is now principally imported by vessels of the United States, engaged in commerce to the Spanish ports on the Pacific. It is cast into ingots, (by the Chinese, called shoes, from their shape,) stamped with the mark of the office that issued them, and the date of their emission. It is used to pay government taxes and duties, and the salaries of officers. The ingots weigh from one half, to one hundred taels, and bear a value accordingly. Sycee silver is the only approach among the Chinese to a silver currency; gold ingots are made, weighing ten taels each, and are worth between twenty two and twenty-three dollars; but neither gold ingots, nor doubloons, nor any other gold coin, are used as money among the Chinese. Great caution should be used in purchasing ingots or bars of silver, as they are subject to many adulterations, and are not unfrequently cast hollow, and filled with lead, to complete the weight. In fact, every species of fraud is practised by the dealers in bullion.
The only weights in use among the Chinese, besides those of money, are the pecul, (tan,) catty, (kin,) and tael, (leang.) The proportion these bear to each other, and to English weights, is exhibited in the following table:—
| Pecul. | Catties. | Taels. | Lbs. avoir. | Cat. | Lbs. troy. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 1600 | 133½ | 1.0.21⅓ | 162.0.8.1 |
| 1 | 16 | 1⅓ |
Usage has established a difference between the tael of commercial weights, which, at the rate of one hundred and thirty-three and a third pounds to the pecul, weighs five hundred and eighty-three and a half troy grains, and the tael of money weight, of which the old standard is 579.84 grains troy. By the above table, it appears, that one ton is equal to sixteen peculs, and eighty catties; one hundred weight to eighty-four catties; one pound, avoirdupois to three fourths of a catty, or twelve taels. The Portuguese at Macao, have a pecul for weighing cotton, and valuable articles; a second for coarse goods; and again, a different one for rice. But the Chinese, among themselves, know no difference, either in the weight of a pecul for different articles, or in the tael, whether used for money or goods.
The principal measures in use among the Chinese, are three; namely, long measure, land measure, and dry measure.
The principal measure of length, is the covid, (chih,) which is divided into ten punts, (tsun.) The covid varies considerably, according as it is used for measuring cloths, distances, or vessels. That determined upon by the mathematical tribunal, is 13.125 English inches; that used by tradesmen, at Canton, is about 14.625 inches; the one by which distances are usually rated, is nearly 12.1 inches, and that employed by engineers, for public works, 12.7 inches. The le or mile, is also an uncertain measure, varying more than the covid or foot. Its common measure is three hundred, sixteen, and a quarter fathoms, or one thousand, eight hundred, ninety-seven and a half English feet; it is the usual term, in which length is estimated. The Chinese reckon one hundred, ninety-two and a half le, for a degree of latitude and longitude; but the Jesuits divided the degree into two hundred and fifty le, each le being one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six English feet, or the tenth part of a French league, which is the established measure at present. A le, according to this measurement, is a little more than one third of an English mile.