Yang Chang-chun, lieutenant-governor of Chekiang, reports upon the demands made for the supply of luxuries for the imperial family, and the short time allowed wherein to collect the large sums of money required. The provincial treasurer has represented that enormous quantities of Chekiang pongees and satins are needed for the Imperial marriage. Not to count what has been already forwarded, there is one indent not yet filled up for eight thousand pieces of brocaded silk, and another. for forty thousand pieces.' The total expenditure for these urders would amount. to over Tis, 241,200, For the household and guard of the Empress elect there are moreover required two thousand silk articles of atti and two hundred pieces of{plain green silk. 'These represent more than Tls. 16,700. Further, eight thousand silk dresses' and eight hundred pieces of plain green silk are demanded for the reserve wardrobe of the
silk dresses and five hundred pieces of Timperial body guard, and five thousand plain green silk for the Imperial chair bearers and escort. The stim total of these latter is about Tls. 18,500. All the indents were to be filled up before the end of the fourth month. is moreover on account of the transport expenses of some material for robes, doors, beds and window-curtains, and' five thousand pieces of silk, an' outstanding debt of about Tls. 29,700. Taking everything into consideration, the levy on the provincial chest for this wedding business does not fall far below Tls. 400,000, in which is not included Tls. 48,000 claimed for extra wages on account of the pressure puton the workmen, In excess of the allowance made by the Board of Revenue from the provincial likin, Tls. 350,000 is required to meet the claims, and this lias to be raised by land and poll taxes. The total annual revenue of the whole Chekiang province from these sources is at present between Tls. 1,400,000 and Tls. 1,500,000. Out of this sum there is expended upon the Tartar and Chinese camps and garrisons above Tls. 640,000 'Ts. 300,000 are sent to Peking; for the Kansuh military operations, and the support of Chekiang troops, in' whatever part of the empire they may be employed, above 'Tls. 600,000 is set apart, and as a' provision against incidental raids upon the pro-¥ineial chest for robes and other things for Imperial use, Tls. 200,000 have to be allowed. The expenditure beingthusconsiderably larger than the income, pecuniary difficulties may be expected to arise. This was reported long ago, and permission was requested to lower the outlay under every head proportionately. 'The-ugh the income of last yeans all expendc: d, it is Jospossible to squeeze the wholeoftheicyear'spoll andiand tax from the people so early' in the twelvemonth. Delay in realising the income is inevitable, and, therefore, allowance must be made for this when b'lamning the delay in the fulfilment of the 1) aperial orders for silks and other things. time assigned is so close, that some plat: must be devised, and the best seems to be to appropriate the first hundred thousand fuels or so which tumbles into the provin" sail chest, and apply it to paying the worl amen employed, so as to induce them tohmurry on. But the question will then be liow~ to replace this sum, for every tael has its destined use. The only feasible way ai po-ars to be to cut Tls. 19,000 every month from the pay of the troops, and by this means the Imperial needs in the way of d of hes will soon be supplied. The memoria lis.t, from his long experience in Chekiang, enforces all that the provincial treasurer }has said about the large balance of expend itare over income at the end of gory year. Nevertheless, of course, when the Emperoi: thinks of marrying, all the provincial chests, however much worse than empty, aust con-treasurer's recommendation n with regard to tribute tothe success ofthe eéaterprise. The
supported.—Peking Gazette—Cycle.
pay of the troops is th: are fore strong]; 0
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.