THE Chinese merchants and tradesmen are most expert and ready reckoners;
but they perform all arithmetical operations mechanically, by means of a
table divided into two compartments, through which pass iron wires; and
on these wires are strung in one compartment five, and in the other two,
moveable balls. The principle is something of the same kind as that of
the _abacus_ of the Romans, and is with some little variation still made
use of in Russia. It has been observed, that in weighing several
thousand chests of tea, or bales of goods, at Canton, the Chinese
accountant can invariably name the sum total long before the European
can cast up his account.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration:
CHINA—PLATE 37
]
Plate XXXVII.