The development of money in China from the earliest times up to the present day was described by Mr. E. Kann ina lecture on "The development of Chinese currency, with Special Reference to. Recent Reforms," given to the Royal Asiat Thursday evening. tons of articles in everyday use, such as bells, spades, elc., and the origin of round money ' probably was to be found in the fact that the early "knife money" had a round pice fixed to one end, by which it could be atta-eched to the person. 'The round coins eventually evolved were about half fan inch in diameter. 'They were first, Of all produced solely by the Government, but later were manufactured by private persons, until the Govern ment was forced' to prohibit their manufacture, owing to lack of un formity in the coinage.
Glreular coins in China, he explain= ed, were not struck by a mint, and recent attempt to produce these: coins from a mint was unsuccessful With regard to Chinese copper col age there were thousands of different designs used on these coins, which were of comparatively recent introduction, being rst used in China ut the end of the last century, Ie described various typer of "copper cents known in different parts of China, and said that strikes wet often due to the misuse of the copper
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.