Page:China- Its State and Prospects.djvu/77

 dynasty, and for the amazing difference between the forty-ninth and fiftieth year of Kang-he, when the capitation tax was removed, and converted into a land tax. Indeed considering the change of measures, adopted by the government, it was rather to he expected that the returns for the following year would exhibit an increase of twenty instead of five millions, as all those who had been previously deterred from giving in their names, had now every motive to concealment removed, and would willingly allow the registration of their signatures.

From the year 1711 to the year 1753, a period of forty-two years, the population appears to have advanced, from twenty-eight millions and a half to a hundred and three millions. This may be accounted for, partly in the way above mentioned, and partly by the gradual increase of the population. This increase will not appear very great, if it be considered, that an excess of three per cent, per annum, of the births over the deaths, will make the population treble itself in the time specified. The next increase, according to the official returns, is of a like character: viz. from 102,328,258 in 1753, to 307,467,200, in 1792; or a triple sum in about forty years. And, when we consider, that during these two periods of forty years each, the dominions of the Tartar-Chinese monarch were extending, and more and more persons were inscribed on the population list; besides the perfect tranquillity which the empire enjoyed during the whole series of years, it is not be wondered at, that the population should advance at such a rapid rate.

The customs and institutions of the Chinese, doubtless, contributed much to this increase; for, according