salutation of the four prostrations in honour of the Imperial throne. The king kneeling takes the letter which he places in the hands of his envoy, then makes three salutations, and accompanies outside the chamber the letter addressed to the throne, enclosed in a yellow box and preceded by bearers of emblems. The king observes the same ceremonial when he goes to meet ambassadors returning from China; he receives them beneath a tent decorated with silks of five colours. The king presides personally over the choice of presents to form the tribute destined for the Emperor of China. The members of the royal family, as soon as they have arrived at the age of fifteen years, go to study at the college Tsong-hio. They daily decide by lot the duties which they should complete in order to merit a note (mark?) of satisfaction. The minister of rites has the pupils of the four colleges interrogated monthly upon the matters which have formed the subject of their studies. The names of pupils from the Capital, and from the province, the works which they have studied day by day, the names, titles, and qualities of their professors are registered in the archives of this minister. Promotion is granted the Professor, if three among his pupils have been classed first in the competition for the degree of Doctor, or even if more than ten have obtained the degree of Batchelor or of licentiate. The costume worn at the celebration of sacrifices, the costumes of the court, the official costumes are in all points similar to the Chinese costumes, [note,-this passage clearly shows us that the memoir was written before the Manchu conquerors had modified the Chinese costume, i.e. before 1616.] At the four great epochs of the year, at the eight great festivals, and at the end of each quarter, the people renew the hearth fire. When a child is abandoned by its parents, the Han-tchangfou or local authority, takes it, feeds it, clothes it, receives it under its protection, and charges itself henceforward with its maintenance. Ο ARTICLE III. RESEARCHES INTO THE GEOLOGY OF FORMOSA.* BY GEORGE KLEINWÄCHTER, Esq. Of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Service. Na journey from the South Cape to Takow and on different other excursions which I undertook during my stay in Taiwan, I had occasion to make some observations on the mineralogical composition and geological formation of Formosa. I am aware that they are imperfect and only comprise some parts of that island, a fact which might deter me from giving these notes publicity, were it not, that even a few established facts may be of interest and further the object of true Geology, which is to arrive at a complete knowledge of the constitution and history of every part of our globe. Formosa must still be considered as a "terra incognita." We know that large mountains nearly bisect the island, that the plain on the west is inhabited by the Chinese and the East by Aborigines, socalled Savages. We know what her soil produces, but we know not, what her soil consists of and what treasures are hidden under it except in the northern parts, where now Coal mines and Petroleum wells are worked. Names have been given to the most prominent peaks and their heights have been ascertained or estimated; but beyond that nothing is known of the outlines of these mountain ranges or the valleys between them; and of the physical aspects of the East coast we are still less able to judge, it being closed to our view. This is however not astonishing. Those whom their vocation leads to this island, have other pursuits to attend to and those, who did spend a few days in the interior, went there out of curiosity or for Ethnological studies. The *Read before the Society on the 17th April, 1883. |