Note 151 — XV.

The Táu-Tái, whose authority extends over the three prefectures of Soo-Chow, Sung-Kiang, and Tai-tsing in the north-east of the province of Kiang-ti, is under the governor of Soo-chow, and has resided at Shanghai ever since that port was thrown open to trade. His salary by law is only 4000 taels (£1445), but the various perquisites and emolument attached to it make his actual income about 365,000 taels or £105,000 per annum; out of which he has, however, to defray all expenses of subordinates, &c.; so that the net annual income of this post is estimated at from 25,000 to 30,000 taels (£7000 to £8700). Besides the Táu-Tái there is only the Tschi-hien, a sort of magistrate who lives in Shanghai, and trades with the foreigners.