government, and published in their official accounts of the empire, is demanded with the view of enabling the ruling powers to ascertain the state of the country, in order that they may apportion the due amount of government officers, and police force, to each district, and make suitable provision for the necessities of the people, in case of famine. According to the system adopted by the reigning dynasty, a considerable proportion of money and grain is retained in the provinces for the service of the state, and the exigencies of the people; and it would ]3e difficult to know what amount should be reserved, unless the average number of the inhabitants were ascertained. It is, then, to assist the government, in making proper arrangements for the home administration, and not to impose either on themselves or foreigners, that this census is taken. It is published in a work, given out by imperial authority, called the Ta-tsing-hwuy-tëen, or "Collection of statutes for the present dynasty," where the various arrangements, for the direction of the six tribunals, are fully particularized. Under the item of revenue, the account of the population occurs; and as this work has been published at different periods, it affords a criterion to judge of the state of the population through successive years.
Now the question occurs. Are these official documents to be believed, or are they not? When any European government orders a census to be made, and publishes a state paper, declaring that such and such is the result of their researches and calculations, it is generally believed. No one objects to the statement, on the ground of that government professing the reli-
