| OCR Text |
Show [42} Chinefe Provg/Z'an (Ignznfl Famine. 43 which the government defires information of Extraé‘l of a Letter to Dr. Percival, concerning the ofhcers appointed to collect the accounts in each diftriét, have only to pafs before the doors and enter into their book what they find marked on the board, without giving the leaf'c trouble to the family. There is a penalty on marking falfel r and as neighbours mui't know nearly the truth 23% [G. P.] are occafionally marked on the fame boards. Thu; the Provgflan made in China aganyl Famine. I HAVE {omewhere read that in China an ac- count is yearly taken of the number of people, and the quantities of provifion produced. This account is tranfmitted to the Emperor, whofe minif'ters can thence forefee a fcarcity likely to happen in any province, and from what province each others account, they dare not expofe themIl‘gilvcs by a falfe one, to each others accufation . wfififiistfmh a regulation IS fcarcely practicabl e it can bef'r be fupplied in good time. To facilitate the collecting of this account, and prevent the neceihty of entering houfes and {pending time in aflcing and anfwering queflions, each houfe is furnifhed with a little board to be hung without [* The above ~ pail'aae is taken from Dr . P er ' v III. p135, being an .etjttraét from a letter writtcdnat1'os lli‘iiiiaysl') Vfii‘. Franklin, on the fubjeé't of his obfervations on the [tate (if y u: lation in Manchefier and other adjacent places. 13.] PO? the door, during a certain time each year; on which board are marked certain words, againfl: which the inhabitant is to mark number or quan- tity, fomewhat in this manner : Men, Women, Children, Rice or Wheat, Flefh, &c. All under 16 are accounted children, and all above, men and women. Any other particulars which Pg/itz'ons |
