KOCLE, QH-P., writes in the latest number of the Asiatic Quarterly Review an article on "The Falling Rupee, and a Probable Consequence," which is deserving of some notice in China, although the parallel between European society in China and in India is not a very close one. Anglo-Indians with the rupee at or under 1s. 4d. must feel, says the writer, that they were born too late when they read the report of a certain erty, wi ae sid, "many years ago, they call the peace of money a roope of which the meanest is worth two and threepence, and the best two and si pence'. In Wilsou's 'Glossary of I dian lenns,' published in 1855, no fewer than twelve kinds of rupee are enumerated, all worth from 2s. 3d. to 2s, 1d." Tt was nearly ten years after Wilson's Glossary was published, that the Shanghai tael was worth 7s. 3d. Hew! quantum mutatus ab ilia! Six William Moore makes no suggestions as to how this disease is to be cured, merely mentioning one or two proposed nostrums of which bimetallism is one the disease, he says, "is of that invetorate character, for which no remedy has yet been discovered. In the mean time it progresses, and Cassandras prophecy a shilling rupee at an early date." He goes on to consider the comfort that is offered to exiles in the East, that if they get much less gold for the silver they "remit home, the position is equalised, as they get much more for their money than in former days; and this, we take it, is undoubtedly true, although Sir William scoffs at it. He says: " We never heard of any Anglo-Indian who paid less for his boots, or his coat, or Vis lodgings, or his wife's dresses, or for hats, or for children's schooling, than before this much-talked-of gold appreciation." If he were right, the round would be cut away altogether from under the feet of the bimetallists at home, as their contention is that everything'has been reduced in price by the adhesion of Great Britain to the sin lo standard. He mentions in proof of his contention that he was asked five rupees in a European store in India for a sixpenny rule, and quotes from one Bernie who wrote years ago; "'For a roomy in Bengal you may have twenty good pullets and geese and ducks in proportion' Later generations have certainly not obtained so many pullets for their money, but prices have been fairly reasonable. Now, however, productions of the country-are beginning to rise in price, and also servants' wages. It is therefore evident that the unfortunate Anglo-Indian is mulct in every direction as a consequence of the fall in the value of silver." A comparison of price lists of to-day in Shanghai with similar lists of a quarter of a century ago world certainly not bear this out.
Now we come to a of Sir William's argument which is as applicable to all the wage-earning people in China, except the fortunate ¢ ones whose salaries' are paid in sterling, as in India. peans regard what women as good wives should be." Curiously enough, he does not recommend marriage, but he says, Anglo-Indians wild marry, and we do not think that under existing and coming "Formerly our Indian official could with ordinary prudence live on his salary, and eventually probably save a Tittle money. Also, when necessary (as most married Anglo-Indians do find it necessary), support his wife and family at home."
european women in the, East must have a change, children must be sent to Europe for education or for health, the expense of a journey to Europe is a heavy one, and "with the rupee at Is, 4d. all this is im-Prectettle, unless for the man in the the receipt of large allowances." Here igher grades of the services, and in Sir William writes without sufficient consideration, unless _passage-money between England and India has been kept at a rate much higher proportionally than between England and China. A first-class passage by P. circumstances they will do very badly for themselves by mating with Indian ladies." He goes still further; he is convinced that the permanence of the British in India cannot be secured unless the two races are brought into closer social relations, and this is to be by intermarriage. The depreciation of the rupee is the most forcible factor in producing this; and thus having begun by cursing this depreciation, he by blessing it altogether. For he regards the future of India as being to the Eurasians; and "when, having educated a few more Bengalee Baboos, we evacuate India, bag and baggage, leaving only empty beer bottles behind, it will be the Bur not the Baboos, who will fill our places.
In this, at any rate, China will not follow India. The difficulties of the between Southampton and Shang-10s.; foreigners have so little opportunity of language are so much greater here, and hai cost thirty years ago £157 Tt now costs less than hi if that, and meeting educated Chinese ladies that as much comfort as was obtainable intermarriage between the two races then on the P. & O. steamers can be is and must remain very rare in China, had now by a first-class liner, ko a! nor does it seem that so far the de-Blue-funnel or a Glen, for one-third of preciation of the tael has made it that. neces ary for Europeatt here who want, Arguing from these premisses, Sir to marry to take native wives. William holds that "the inevitable re- fortunately tov, we do not see enough sult must be a lowering of the morale of the Chinese maiden to be able to of the Indian service. embark on an Indi: "People will not write of her in such glowing terms as career unless it Sir William Moore does of her Indian affords a fair prospect of living com-cousin fortably." They must degenerate, and be no longer noted for the strict inti-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.