representationg Into received from the Ang. Ljh.-(0) A deere, referring to the Censor Teng iz respecting the disasters caused by es,—gent floods in Kwangtung,—and acknowléling the receipt of a memorial from Chang Chao-tung, Governor of the province, which has now come to hand, in'which the damage caused by the bursting of the river embankments is described. The commands heretofore given forthe relief of distress are repeated.
(2) -A decree handing over to the Board of Panishments for trial, four robbers from an adjacent province whose: capture in Peking has been reported by the police censors.
(8) The' acting Governor -of Shrntung memorializes laying before the Throne a representation addressed to him by certain "notables of the province, who came forward to eulogize the: virtues of a: former Lieutenant-Governor and Governor named Wu T'ing-tung, who endeared himself to the people ina lasting manner by his exertions in the public cause at the time of the diversion of the course of the Yellow River and subsequently. His admission to sacrificial honours is requested.
—Referred by rescript for the consideration of the Board of Ceremonies.
12th Aug.—{1) A Decree. The Groom of the Library (of the Supervisorate of Instruction), Wen Chung-han, memorializes Us. stating' that the scarcity caused by drought in the province of Shansi has reached an excessive degree, and he suggests that contributions be called for in aid of the distribution of relief. Let the Board of Revenue consider and report to Us.
(2) Li Hoh-nion, Director-General of the Yellow River, memorializes reporting that the whole of the grain junks bound for the north had reached the Tai Mino sluice BRISA of the Grand Canal, there to await a sufficient rise in the water to enable them to cross the Yellow River. The squadron had reached the point above-named by the 26th June, and were ce: quently within ten li of the point at which the passage of the river is effected. As, however, the depth of water in the Yellow River was but little over one chih at the time of the vessels' arrival, it was necessary to await a rise of the river before any further progress could be made.
"Aug, 13th.—(1) A' Decree... On receiving intelligence recently from Tsing Kwohts'iian with reference to the suffering caused by drought in the province of Shansi, We gave sanction by rescript to the appropriation of sums destined for transmission to Poking to purposes of relief, and We farther commanded that enquiry be instituted in' the distressed districts to ascertain whether postponements or remissions of revenue were called for. We have now received a memorial from the Censor Hu P'ing-che to the following effect:—" It is reported that, at the prospect of reductions and remissions. of taxation being granted, the magistrates of departments and districts in the province in question are hastening to enforce immediate collection of the revenue, with, view to falsely representing hereafter that the people are in arrears and converting to their own use the amounts obtained. When distributions of grain take place, it lias further to be stated, the clerks and underlings take advantage of the opportunity to levy exactions, demanding future repayments at the rate of cent per cent. The famine sufferers are consequently deterred from venturing to apply for relief, and cases actually happen in which payments in money are offered to exempt individuals from receiving their quota of relief. As I am now informed, this abuse is practised also in the provinces of Honan and Shantung." The territorial authorities are in duty bound to use their utmost endeavours to cause Our bounty to reach the sufferers whom it is intended to relieve; and it is indeed most scandalous if conduct such as is represented in the memorial now before Us is indulged in. We command the Governers-General and Governors concerned to make active enquiries into the circumstances. Let them feel bound to punish most severely any officials or employes who are insensible to the sufferings of the people, and who avail themselves of one pretext or another to commit abuses, to the end that a warning be given against rapacity and corruption, and the interests of the people be cared for.
(2) A Decree. 'Ting Jih-ch'ang has me-moralized Us soliciting leave of absence to enable him to return to his native place for the care of his health, his complaint having in assumed an aggravated character. e grant him three months' congo for this purpose. Let Pao Hing 7 (the Lieutenant-Governor) act in his stead as Governor of Fuhkien.
(8) A decree in answer toa memorial from.
the Consos Ha Ping che, who haa represent ed that the heads of the principal departments of government have failed, of late, to ox-excise any discrimination in the appointment of Secretaries to permanent posts after serving their terms of probation. In lieu of doing their duty in this respect, it is stated, the Presidents and Vice-Presidents. are accustomed to institute merely the formal examination prescribed by law, without exercising in a single instance their powers of rejection for inefficiency. It follows, consequently, that men of bad character succeed in introducing themselves among the official ranks. It is commanded hereupon, in view of the importance of the rence to the Hanlin College and he Court interests involved, and with special rofeof Censors, that a severe discrimination be henceforward exercised by the heals of departments, in order to secure a proper class of functionaries. The Hanlin College in particular is required, the time being now at hand when it should submit for approbation a list of proposals for the office of Censor, to make its selection as justice demands, choosing none but individuals of upright, spotless, and judicious character.
(4) The Censor Shen Hung memorializes dwelling upon the calamitous visitations in the shape of drought, floods, tempestuous weather, and plagues of locusts, with which divers provinces have of late been afflicted and urges that the servants of the State throughout the Empire be called upon to Poy & move camest regard to morality, and to aim aten effectual discharge of their duty in matters relating to the instruction of the people and the pre of sustenance, as also in the administration of the criminal Iaw.—For rescript_ summarize ing this memorial, and issuing injunctions as solicited, seo Gazette of Ist inst.
(6) The Court of Censors memorialize forwarding an appeal lodged by Hu Tso-hwai, a native of the province of Hupeh, aged'27, who makes the following statement:—" My father, Hu She-li (Fi, assassinated in May 1879 by Ofan Klum whilst engaged in trade at Yang-chow, was PAG, who was condemned for this crime to suffer death by strangulation after the period of revision, and this sentence Was confirmed by rescript. I removed my father's remains, in contentment with this sentence, for interment at our family home but a relative of Chan K'i-lun's, named Wu Tung-shan, an officer commanding in a battalion of Hunan irregulars, incited a kinsman named Chan Hwan-chang to proceed to Peking for the purpose of intriguing with the aid of Tien Ming-king, the Hunan provincial postal agent stationed at Peking, and certain titular officials, to contrive a means of escaping the infliction of the penalty upon Chan K'i-lun, At. this moment, opportunely, the Censor K'ing-lin presented a' memorial bringing to light the enactment that military officers convicted of crime are entitled
death of relatives in action] in their to allege [circumstances such a8 the favour; and on the 13th March last, 'T'ien Ming-king and his associates went copy of the memorial to Chan K' house to demand a sum of money. I have farther learnt that Chan Hwan-chang handed in last winter a fictitious statement to the Board of Punishments, declaring that a member of the condemned man's family had been killed in action; whilst a brother of Wu Tung-shan's, named Wa Hi-che, had been instructed to lodge a similar statement at the district magistracy native place,"—The complainant goss om of Hwang-ngan in Hunan, Chan K'ijun's to recount his interviews with the confederates, whom he tracked to Peking, and to, asseverate that no such person ever existed as the relative of Chan K'i-u's who is said to have fallen in the service of the state. The Court of Censors submit his appeal as one which calls for thorough
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.