ABSIRACT OF PEKING GAZETTES, May 28rd.—(1) The high authorities of Fuhkien jointly, memorialize impeaching for " gross act of peculation the Prefect and expectant Taotai Ling Ting-kwoh, in n with the works undertaken for the fortification of the anchorage at An-Ping in Formoss. An amount of Teele 29,400 in all was issued to the delinquent, out of which he is proved to have embezzled at least the sum of Ts. 14,377, to say nothing of possible "squeezes* that may have been perpetrated in the issue of wages, eto., for which no detailed accounts are forthcoming. The fort was built on the European model, and no fixed Timit could consequently be prescribed beforehand, under circumstances 80 novel, for the expenditure to commenting upon the vill: delinquent in this case, it is requested that he be stripped of his rank and pro-secured for the recovery of the amount, It in added that the present memorial is drawn up by the Governor, Ting Jihch'ang.—For rescript Gazette of inst, (N. B.—Tho Prefect Ling Ting-the official who for six years past vainly complained against by the mother of a military officer named Lin, whose murder he is accused of conapi effect, (Soe Gazette of March 30th.
i h'ang, Governor of Fuhvg the mal-prevail in tration of justice within his new jurisdiction, 'Th source of public demoralization, he points out, than the neglect of their judicial functions on the part of the territorial authorities, leading, as this must do, to extortionate practices indulged in' by underlings, and to endless and rui delays in the settlement of proceedi Ai quence of such a state of aff the violent and headstrong are driven to awoll the ranks of banditti, whilst more artful characters drift into the embraces of alien, sects. When formerly occupying the post of Governor of Kiangan, the lint drew up certain rules for the required to forward monthly reports of their judicial business in civil matters, and to placard at their gateways a board setting forth the names of all prisoners in custody, monthly returns of which we Iso to\ be sent in, These rules we subsequently adopted in Chihli by the then Governor-General Tseng Kwoh-fan, and in Fuhkien by the then Governor Pien Pao-ti, Notwithatanding this, the Governor has found since his accession to office, that the obedience to the rules prescribed which is shown by the district authorities generally is merely nominal. heir reports are habitually falsified, and teem with mis-otatements and suppress The state of affairs he has discovered is simply astounding. The Magistrate of the Min district (city of Foochow) has kept reports of upwards of one hundred civil cases; the Magistrates of the How-kwang and P'u-tien districts have each suppressed returns of upwards of two lnundred cases, and so forth. As regards prisoners in custody, a similar falsification of the returns is revealed. The names of ten district Magistrates are recited, who have been deprived of their buttons and called upon to clear off all pending arrears within six mouths' time, failing which district, for act requested, the delinquent is by rescript stripped of his rank and ordered to be placed on trial.
May 24th,—(1) A Decree. Kwoh Sung-tao has memorialized, on the expiry of his congo, stating that he has not yet recovered his health, and again entreating permission to retire to his native place. We command that he be granted a farther congo of two months, and that he need not retire.
(2) The Gorernor of Chéhkiang reports the despatch of the whole of the grain-tribute for Peking due from that province on account of the collection for the year 1875. 'The total amount of second-class and superior rice collected in the three prefectures of Hang-chow, Kia-hing, and Hu-chow, was 321,000 and odd piculs, yielding, after sundry local deductions, a total of pls. 313,700 for transmission' to the North. This has been shipped in three instalments from Shanghai, the despatch of the first of which, on the 36th February, has already been reported. 'The second instalment was shipped as follows, viz., by steamer, pla. 32,400; and by junks, 99 in number, pls, 69,800 and odd, The shipment of the thi ment has now also been completed, proportion of 39,200 and odd' pi yy steamer, and 55,000 and odd piculs by a squadron of 23 junks, A decree based upon a ung-shih, acting Military king, who has reported that a notorious criminal named Tai Fa,
ice, has at length been tracked by number of years past fugitive from appointed for this purpose to the district of Pao-ti (near Peking), and there apprehended. The prisoner in question having been handed over to the Board of Punishments to be dealt with, it is commanded that on completion of his trial he be summarily executed and that his head be sent to Feng-tien to be publicly exposed there as a warui Rewards are promised for th officers who have exerted them-in this matter.
(2) The Governor of Kweichow, Li Pei-king, memorializes representing the measures he proposes to take toward the auppression ictics, Early in February last, he received a despatch from the Grand Council, communicating the text of a Decree issued on the 16th January, in which reference is made heretofore presented by ili, stating that the secret society known' as the Ko Lao Hwei or Elder Brotherhood, has extended its ramifications over the provines of Hunan, Hupeh, Chéhkiang, Fuhkiew, Ytinnan, Kweichow, Szech'wan, Shensi, Anhwei, and Kiangei. ' The memorialist, pausing to admire the careful forethought with which his Majesty aims at grappling betimes with threatened danger, observes that the secret society of the Ko Lao originated in the ranks of the army, and has now diffused its poison throughout all parts of the Empire. Its endeavours at the outset were directed toward inducing the ignorant pessautry to join its ranks, for the sake of obtaining protection for their persons and property whilst, at a later stage, the ranks of the society have been' enlarged with fearless audacity, and treasonable designs have begun to be entertained. It is impossible to say what limit there shall be to the evil, unless prompt measures of repression be instituted against this ubiquitous organization. Li Han-chang, in a memorial on the subject, has shown a complete mastery of its dotal and the memorialist cites with appro his dictum that it is needless to institute other rule in the matter beyond that of the immediate infliction of the full penalty of the law upon every offender, It is proposed that the local authorities in Kweichow shall employ the utmost vigilance, and that rewards shall bestowed on every person who distin guished himself in effecting the apprehension of a ringleader of the society, May 26th.—No documents of imports May 27th.—(1) A Decree. The Grand Secretary Wénsiang was one who shone by the purity and integrity of his character, no less than by the sedulous déevotion of his intellect to the interests of the State, Loyal and stainless, far-soeing and straightforward, he was at' once thorough in the earnestuees that actuated his conwspired by sentiments of un-dom, Singled out by the dis judgment of his Majesty the Emperor Wen tung Hien (Wieuteng), be aucament from the ranks of the civil service in the Capital to the position of an Under-Secretary, whilst, at the same time, he was admitted as a member of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.