ABSTRACT OF PEKING GAZETTES, July 5th.—(1) A Decree, Tsang Kwohts'iian memorialises detailing his views on certain matters in his province which require immediate attention. Since the Visitation of the province of Shansi by this great evil, suffering and misery have been brought upon the inhabitants, from which they will find it hard to recover, and it becomes an imperative and immediate duty to take thought for and devise the measures that should be taken by the aid of which the people may have energy given unto them and be rescued from their present difficulties. The quantity of waste land in this province is very considerable, and the actual amount should at once be clearly ascertained and immigrants encouraged to undertake its cultivation, 'Tsing Kwohts'iian now proposes to supply the poorer people with seed corn, and, in the case of unoccupied land, to permit any members of the actual owner's clan, or, failing these], strangers from other' provinces, to undertake its cultivation on the understanding that if the owner returns ho shall be allowed to claim his land before the time for sowing the next year's crop. Should he fail to return within the space of five years, the occupier of the land shall be confirmed in possession thereof, and it shall be his in perpetuity. Let the Governor direct his subordinates to take steps for giving due and valid effect to this arrangement. When Our illustrious predecessor merged the poll tax into the land tax, there were some places in Shansi in which o partial change only was effected in this respect. Woe now consent to the Governor's request that a search shall be made from house to house, and wherever a poll tax is found to be levied. that it shall be merged into the land tax, We also consent to a reduction bein made in cases where the number of persons on which the rating was assessed has fallen off, or where the persons so assessed have disappeared altogether. The system of escuage, or of gratuitous work claimed by the Government, differs in its application in various portions of the province. We hereby sanction the Governor's proposal that escuage shall be diminished throughout the province, in order that the burden of compulsory service may not fall more heavily on one place than another, and We also consent to the total abolition of the evil system of calling on the tax collector to be responsible for taxes on uncultivated land. Department and district Magistrates must be strictly cautioned hereafter against seizing pretexts for claiming compulsory labour, and any unauthorised requisition for money [in lieu of] carts or draught animals must be punished as the law requires. The Governor will take such measures from time to. time as he shall see fit, for inducing the return of those that have wandered away, for replenishing the empty granaries, readjusting the salt trade, diminution of military expenses, etc., etc., each of which measures must be attended to seriatim.
(2) A decree directing the names -of certain officers to be placed on the list from which Censors are selected.
(8-4) Decrees appointing Tsai Ling ity BS Grand Secretary of the Pi Jen Kol, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.