Translation of a communication of the Prince of Kung and Ministers of the Yamen of Foreign Affairs to the Ministers of Russia, Germany, the United States and, France and to the Charge a' Affaires of Great Britain.
Peking, 19th Dec., 1877.
In reply to the note received from Your Excellency, making an enquiry with reference to the introduction of a silver coinage system in China, the Prince and Ministers would state that in the month of April last, on reeuipt of notes relating to this eubjoct from Y.E. and the Representatives of the other Powers, the Yamen communicated with the Ministers Superintendent of Trade for the Northern and Southern ports, dosiring them to give their attention to the question of the feasibility of establishing a coinage, and to report for farther consideration. The two Ministers Superintendent wrote, upon this, to the high authorities of the various provincial Governments and Customn-houses, desiring them to submit a careful statement of their views after deliberation upon the circumstances involved. The reports of these authorities, setting forth the opinions arrived at with reference to the advantage or disadvantage which would accrue upon the introduction of a silver coinage, having successively come to hand, replies have now been received in due course from both the Ministers Superintendent.
The Yamen has to observe that a difference exists between the monetary system by law established in China and in other countries, and that the nature of the case is such as to preclude the idea of uniformity. On a further consideration of the question, based upon. the communications revived from the Ministers Superintendent of Trade, it now remains to be stated that the establishment of a Mint on the foreigit system for the introduction of a coinage by the Chinese Government, which would be Clan Court is directed to determine i distinguished form of the Prince of King, and the retary Pao-yun, the Assistant ¢ veeretary Shen Kwei-fen, President. of the Board of War, ai Board for the determina forms of notion; made the subject of complaint by t nee nian,—He is to he beheaded in a public place, and his head sent to the ese frontier for exposure.
(6) Teng Chung-lin_ det rinees a dsassul:, or chieftain, of the Kloreh'in tribe of the "Inner Mongols," whom he charges with acts of oppress ngdoing, and une bridled license, ests that his seal of otice may be taken away from him.
March 18th.—(1) A Dectee. Tso Tsung ing reported to us the recapture of la, and the subj ly bestowed special marks of Our favour upon this high officer and other leaders of our armies. "Since the revolt of the Mahommedians in the NewDominion, now more than ten years since, there have been vari officers who have displayed energy extirpation of. the rebels, sacrificing their lives on the field of battle, or in the defence of strongholds which, in obedience to orders, that ap may be bestowed on a duidji, or noble, of the second-class chieftains of the Khoshoit FF, tribe, called Cha-pu-té-to-Ko, who has rendered great, assistance to the Imperial troops. His tribe, and that of the Turguts, nomad Mongols of Kokonor, had taken up their abode in the country adjoining that peopled by the Mahommedans, and were located there at_ the commencement of the result of these tribes. 'They were much harassed by the "tur wearing" Mussulmans, and, subsequently, by the Andijani, who' profited by the con: fusion they were in to: make an onslaught upon them, dispersing the Tunguts and destroying more than half ofthe other tribe, The daidji referred t+ collected the scattered remnants of these tribes, and removed with them toa place called G'orht'u-shan, which he defended with great tenacity. On the capture of T'oksun last year, he came to the camp and had an interview with Lin Kin-tang, who ordered histo return and keep a watch over the movements of the rebels, supplying Liu Kin-tang from time to time with information he might obtain. On the advance of the troops in September, he and his tribe went forward too, and were most useful as pioneers, giving valuable information as to the depths of water to be crossed, the safety of certain routes, etc., and when the army had crossed the Kaidn river, he followed and pitched his camp to the eastward of the stream, taking up a position of observation and defence.—Granted by rescript. there is serious reason to believe, of abuses of 80. manifold anaturo, and the obstacles and diticulti that would present themselves are of such magnitude, that the introduction of stich a coinage cannot be wider taken. This the Yamen beg to state in reply to the enquiry addressed to them by Your Excellency.
Kwangsii 11], 11th moon, 15th day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.