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THE TRACT SOCIETIES IN CHINA. 337ill hand, but with heavy liabilities for printersbe met in the near future.bills to77/6 Central China Trad Society, Hankow, foundedin 1875 has, during the thirty-four years of its existence,issued nearly 35,000,000 books and other publications.The committee report last year as being the best in thehistory of the society. Eighteen new publications wereadded to the society s list during the year, and therewere 2,976,777 issues from the depot. The expenditurefor the year has been, for col portage and general work,in round figures $21,000. This takes no account of thebuilding scheme, which is dealt with in a separateaccount under the heading The Griffith John MemorialBuilding Fund. The society is making vigorous effortsto extend its usefulness. The R. T. S. gives an annualgrant for the salary of the general agent, the Rev. C. \V.Kastler, who devotes his whole time to literary work,thus making possible the realisation of plans otherwiseimpossible to attempt. New and commodious buildingsto serve as the society s depot and headquarters are inprocess of erection. A scheme to establish a printingpress is also being elaborated, and if brought to asuccessful issue, will greatly increase the productivity ofthe society.The Central China Tract Society is worthily occupying the important centre it holds right in the heart ofChina, and is taking full advantage of the presentopportunity for presenting the Gospel to the Chinese.The West China Tract Society was organised in1889. It has its headquarters in Chungking and Chentu.Its first year s receipts amounted to less than Taels 38.Last year the society put into circulation 1,509,528Christian books and tracts.Two enticing fields are open to this society whichcan be worked by no other. I refer to the openingsfor evangelistic tract work in Thibet and among the