March 7th—Imperial edict. Some time ago Censor Li Té-yuen reported that the officials sent to superintend the ploughing up of the Jehol hunting grounds were approptiating and disposing of the land according to their pleasure. In consequence of this charge two commissioners were sent to investigate the matter. They report that there is no evidence of the officials having sold land already under cultivation instead of the fallow land, nor of their having sold any part of the old original hunting ground, or of their having received large sums of money on account of these supposed sales. But it appears that when' the people of the district assembled. en masse to oppose the breaking up of the waste lands, as they frequently did, the officials in question sent for some troops to maintain order, and thus made themselves ex; ceedingly obnoxious to the people. At Wilatai' also' they blundered int a some-
proclamations had been issued giving what similar way. Instead of wafting til notice of the proposed changes, they commenced operations at once, and thus occasioned much confusion and uproar. For these errors they are re-called and handed over to the proper Board, to be dealt with according to their deserts, The other persons concerned niust also be examined, and punished according to their several degrees of guilt.
8th.—A brevet, a button of the 5th grade and a peacock's feather are conferred on asecretory in the Kansu commissariat department, in reward for his many services. When the Mahometan rebels attacked Wumén, Tunhwang and other cities in that neighbourhood, he stirred up the officials and gentry to resist them and the cities were saved. And again, during the summer and autumn of last year, when the troops were operating against the rebels at Ngansi, he managed to supply an' abundant commissariat, Also, on another and subsequent occasion, he managed with equal success.
2.—Wu Tang, viceroy of Szechuen, reports on the character of several officials who have just completed their first year of office. They are all men of ability and have given great satisfacti 3.—In another memorial, Wu Tang states that the district magistrate of Ya-an has made good the is, 385.2.1.9 deficit in the tea tax of his district, and bogs that proceedings against him may be stopped.
Sth.—An edict is inued.reguedingys me> morial from the Board of Punishments reporting that it finds that Censor Ichang was really bribed by the Chichow Yamen clerks. This is a case in which some clerks bribed Censor Ichang to accuse the district magistrate of Chichow of extortion. It hias been clearly proved during the trial that the clerks in question did bribe Ichang, and the latter has acknowledged the fac For this grave offence he is deprived of rank and office, and committed for trial. As to the several charges brought against the district magistrate, a searching examination must be instituted by Li Hung-chang, as already commanded, with a view to ascertain whether there is any truth in them or not, and report thereon to the Thron {For farther particulars of this ease, seo azelte of February 6th and 7th.} 2.—Ting Pao-cheng, lieut.-governor of Shantung, reports having resumed duty after a short period of sick-leave, and tities Fhaving started for Yuncheng ton spect the repair of the embankments in that neighbourhood..
8.—The Board of Civil Office having objgeted to the appointment of Sub-prefect an Ching-chao to the magistracy of Chuen-sha, in the Sungkiang prefecture, Tsing Kwo-fan and Chang Chih-wan unite in recommending Chen Fang-ying for that post. The Board of Civil Ofico is ordered to consider the recommendation and 10th.—In consequence of a memorial from Chang-shan and Kulémin, an edict is issued forbidding Bannermen leaving their regiments to join the army in the field. Of late years this has been a very common practice, and doubtless not a few have done so from pure patriotism, but it is equally true that it has been done by many simpl} because it offered a shorter and surer to promotion. This volunteerism must not be countenanced any longer, and the viceroys and lieut.-governors are ordered not to recommend such volunteers for promotion without very sufficient reasons,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.