And By This Providence
Of The Emperor's, His People Can Never Suffer From Dearth.
He does the
same over his whole Empire; causing these supplies to be stored
everywhere, according to calculation of the wants and necessities of the
people.
NOTE 1. - "Le fait si bien estuier que il dure bien trois ans ou
quatre" (Pauthier): "si bien estudier" (G.T.). The word may be
estiver (It. stivare), to stow, but I half suspect it should be
estuver in the sense of "kiln-dry," though both the Geog. Latin and the
Crusca render it gubernare.[1] Lecomte says: "Rice is always stored in
the public granaries for three or four years in advance. It keeps long if
care be taken to air it and stir it about; and although not so good to the
taste or look as new rice, it is said to be more wholesome."
The Archbishop of Soltania (A.D. 1330) speaks of these stores. "The said
Emperor is very pitiful and compassionate ... and so when there is a
dearth in the land he openeth his garners, and giveth forth of his wheat
and his rice for half what others are selling it at." Kublai Kaan's
measures of this kind are recorded in the annals of the Dynasty, as quoted
by Pauthier. The same practice is ascribed to the sovereigns of the T'ang
Dynasty by the old Arab Relations. In later days a missionary gives in
the Lettres Edifiantes an unfavourable account of the action of these
public granaries, and of the rascality that occurred in connection with
them.
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