Thus, By Constant Change Of Swift Runners, The Letters Are
Conveyed With Great Dispatch To Their Destinations.
By this means, the khan
often receives letters or new fruits in two days, from the distance often
ordinary days journey:
As for instance, fruits growing at Cambalu in the
morning, are conveyed to Xandu by the night of the next day. All the people
employed in the posts, besides being exempted from all tribute, have an
ample recompense for their labour from the gatherer of the khans rents.
There are inspectors employed, who examine the state and conduct of these
posts every month, and are empowered to punish those who are guilty of
faults.
The khan sends every year to the different provinces of his empire, to
inquire whether any injuries have been sustained to the crops by tempests,
locusts, worms, or any other calamity; and when any province or district
has suffered damage, the tribute is remitted for that year, and he even
sends corn for food and seed from the public granaries: For in years of
great abundance, he purchases large quantities of grain, which is carefully
preserved for three or four years, by officers appointed for the purpose;
by which means, when a scarcity occurs in any province, the defect may be
supplied from the granaries of the khan in another province. On these
occasions, he orders his grain to be sold at a fourth part of the market
price, and great care is taken to keep his granaries always well supplied.
When any murrain attacks the cattle of one of the provinces, the deficiency
is supplied from the tenths which he receives in the other provinces.
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