and not a few points on the subject are dealt with under the Code clause relating to witchcraft.

Unlawful societies. Communists, Socialists etc., would not have a pleasant time in China. Brotherhoods where all are equal and the leader is chosen irrespective of his age where, as they put it, a young man is head, and no regard is paid to age are considered subversive of the foundations of society. Distinction is drawn in regard of the number of those forming the society: if the brotherhood number forty or more members, the elder brother is liable to capital punishment without revision, and the other brothers to transportation for life to the desolate regions of Canton Yunnan etc.; if the brotherhood number less than forty members, the elder brother will be sentenced capitally, and the others to transportation for life and servitude 3000 li distance (P. A. S. P. vol. VII. p. 1). The law on the point is also applicable to members of illegal sects.

Secret societies flourish however in China,

though repressed with severity when occasion offers they are in fact the leading source of irritation to the Government from within (v. nearly any number of the Peking Gazette). Members of a secret society or an illegal phrased 邪教會匪, and

sect are

a

The law relating to this point is, on the whole, fairly severe, and varies, in general, according to the nature of the arms or ammunition.

And first of fire-arms. Distinction is made between weapons that carry merely shot and those that carry bullets. So in a well-known

case where the maker of some ten fowling pieces was sentenced to one hundred blows, and another person for purchasing and trying one of them to forty blows (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 52). Had the weapons in this case been ordinary matchlocks, the maker would have been sentenced to the cangue and one hundred blows for the first weapon made, and one degree more punishment for each additional conviction but as it was clearly shown that the weapons could only carry shot, the cangue was remitted. The guns themselves were however seized and destroyed, and the purchase money confiscated.

The making and possessing cannon. is seemingly treated a degree more severely than is the case with matchlocks. Gingalls are to be considered as cannon (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 59).

The illicit manufacture of arms and traffic therein is, in spite of the law thereon, common. It seems that the stated penalties are not heavy enough, and extraordinary measures are announced from time to time; usually the

proclamations commence by offering the value of arms voluntarily surrendered, and in default thereof prescribe seriatim heavy penalties (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 60).

Persons requiring fire-arms for their protection against wild beasts are accorded exceptional treatment, and on making application can, if there be good ground for their request, obtain permission to possess and use fire-arms, the weapon being registered, marked with the name of the possessor, and periodically inspected (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 59).

Moreover the law as to fire-arms does not

apply to Manchuria the Emperor Taokuang having been of opinion that it was a very desirable thing for Manchus to make weapons, and holding it was absurd to say that the people were not to possess fire-arms, on which, living as they did by hunting, their livelihood depended (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 53).

As regards gunpowder, etc. Making gunpowder for sale, though none has actually been sold, renders the guilty party liable to one degree less penalty than he would have

incurred had he sold it (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 61). Selling gunpowder to salt smugglers is punishable with military servitude on the frontiers. Selling over 50 catties (about 70 lbs.) of sulphur and under 100 catties is visited with one hundred blows and three years' transportation. Slow matches may be manufactured and sold for legitimate purposes freely (H. A. H. L. vol. XI. p. 56).

As regards mere articles of military equipment

such as armour, shields, cartridge boxes, powder flasks, flags, uniforms, etc. the simple

possession of one such article is punishable with eighty blows; and the penalty is increased a degree for each additional article. The manufacture of the above articles is one degree more severely punished than the possession thereof. In no case, however, is the penalty to exceed one hundred blows and transportation for life to 3000 li distance.

UNLAWFUL DEALINGS WITH PUBLIC STORES

AND PROPERTY

Such offences commonly arise in connection