Liu, Prefect of Foochow; the Min Magistrate, Chang; and Chou, Magistrate of Hou kuan, issue " proclamation of stringent prohibit On the 15th of the 6th moon, in which they made the following The sages and virtuous mon of antiquity first used writing characters, and through these numberless ages have been benefitted with what reverence and pity ought not then these characters to be regarded!—not treated as the people in the city, Innes, and shops treat them. On the paper used for wrapping up articles, and for making umbrellas, on the sides of hoes, on pillows, at the bottom of night shop mark or sign, or the stamp, or the hong name, is often inscribed, the characters sometimes being very numerous. These papers then become heaped up together, and are often torn and washed away, of the characters coiled with dirt ina way that-excites one's strongest indignation, There are likewise certain wealthy e08, concealed away, parodies of the classics and the Scriptures, which are printed ted among the people, These ighly injurious to morality, and destructive to the morals of the people, but it in believed the issue of such works is uted by a fundamental law of the empire. As to the shop people, if they wish to have the genuineness of their they should to a definite on their shop boards for insects, fish, flowers, birds, sceptre, &e. These would amply wuftice to testify to the goods and for purposes of advertisement, and written characters would not be require to be used, In the 2nd year of Hsien Feng, one Chen, and in the 11th moon of 1st year of 'T'ung Chih, one Shun, severally requested a prohibition to be issued, as is on record. But the prohibition has been 80 long in abeyance that the old custom has come up again. he present time is the period when the examination for Chu-jen by Act of Grace is being held, and a great congregation of goods and stores are got together, this degrading uso of written chai much on the increase, Enclosed is munication to the Hou-kuan Magistrate, asking him to rigorously prohibit of little books of loose songs and lascivious rhymes; also to have the types of the immoral books destroyed within a certain time; the shop people too should use rings for their signs and marke, and insects, birds, fish, flowers, &c., for use on their shop boards, Thus many benefits will accrue to the public morality.
On receipt of the above, the Prefect and Magistrates have to remark that a former Magistrate had before strictly forbidden the use of written characters in the way described above. Being now recipients of another petition on the ame subject, the Prefect and Magistrates feel it incumbent on them to issue some proclamation, Wherefore, all you soldiery, and people, and book sell id shop people of all kinds, are to know and understand that written characters are a precious bequest by Heaven, handed down to us from the sages atd eminent men of former tines, and should be regarded as being as procious as jewels and worthy of all our reverence and respect, After the publication of this proclamation, all the block types of immoral books must be destroyed, and the various characters used for marks should be changed into a certain ber of rings, whilst the shop boards yuld be inscribed with insects, birds, wats, fish, flowers, &., instead' of ch racters, If any dare to show themselves contumacious, they will be severely punished, No indulgence will he shown, Let sll tremblingly obey. Do not disobey, A special proclamation, ATTEMPT TO BURN A SHIP IN THE RIVER, Wednesday morning, about 3.20, Thomas Hope, one of the crew of the Charter Oak, an American ship of 963 tons burden, anchored below the shipping on account of having @ largo quantity of kerosine on board, raised an alarm of fire, Captain Smith was the first to get on deck, and sinvke or any indication of ing through a ventilator near the main-hatch. The crew being by this time aroused from their sleep, and on deck, the arch was lifted, and flames and smoke immediately shot up some foot above the deck.
The alarm, bell was but these the Thyatira, lying yards away, and which at once despatched boat's crew to enquire, and render help. In the meantime, the Charter Ouk's crow, stimulated by the energy of their captain, rigged the pumps, and procured buckets, but the fire was in grant degree extinguished by a large tub of water which had been left standing near the maiuhatch, being overset by nome of the the water falling plump on to the of the fire in the lower hold, and nearly putting it out. Thoro were 1,700 cases.of kerosine oil, on the top of about 300 tons of anthracite coal, stowed in the lower hold—the ship having discharged several thousand cases of oil, By good luck, the flames were got under before they obtained firm hold; but not until the whole interior of the vessel was made so lot, that the hand could not bear to touch either wood or metal-work.\. A few minutes more, and she would from her position, involving loss of life.
An examination was made below as quickly as possible, and it was found that a deliberate attempt had been made to burn the ship, the completeness of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.