April 27th.—(1) A decree ordering rigorous steps to be taken for the recovery of large sums of money in which four istrict Magistrates in Shantung are in default. Two of these officers being dead, the sums for which they are liable will be recovered from their families, (2) The Governor of Shantung reports the sentences passed in a case of jail breaking in which a prisoner under sentence of death escaped from the cage in which he was confined and the responsible officers have failed to effect his capture after a Japse of a year and a half. The stereotyped account of the escape is given. The officer in charge went his usual nightly rounds, and having satisfied himself that the manacles and fetters of the prisoners were properly secured, set the guard and left them for the night. A heavy storm of wind and rain arose, and the watchmen went into their room for shelter, where they were overpowered by sleep. The prisoner, seeing his opportunity, wrenched the iron collar from his neck, and having twisted off his handcuffs and leg irons, pulled out one of the bars of his wooden cage and with it worked out a brick in the wall which enabled him to make a hole big enough to creep out of. He then got a bench and placed it against the outer wall, climbed by its aid on to the top, and jumped down into the open. From that time to this he has never been heard of. The turnkey responsible for his custody, as there is proof to show that the escape was owing to his carelessness and not to his connivance, will be punished by the in-fiction of 100 blows and banishment for three years, which is a mitigation by two degrees of the sentence that was to have been undergone by the prisoner that escaped. Two of the watchmen on duty are dead, but the under-turnkey and clerk, who still survive, are to receive eighty blows, which is the legal punishment for April 28th.—With the exception of a decree conferring further honors on minor offi cials in connection with the recent ceremony! at the Mausolea, the whole of this day's Gazette is occupied with a report from the high officers commissioned to investigate the charges brought against the Governor of Shengking by an officer of the Guards, (Seo Gazette of 7th April.)
April 29th.—(1) A decree appointing Wen Hwui 3 Bf to the post of Director of the Court of Imperial entertainment.
(2) Memorial from the Governor of Kiangsi, reporting a case of highway robbery and murder in the Kan District of that province. Ts'un Ts'ai-hsin, a worthless
and-a-half ago some friends, five in all, vagabond of that district, me, come year and they commenced to relate to each other how hard the times were, and how difficult it was to get a living. The result of their conversation was a determination then and there to rob some passer-by in a thoroughfare near at hand. With this intention they all started off for the position they intended to take up. They had not gone far before one of their number who had a sore on his left foot, and another who was seized with a pain in his stomach, left them and went back, reducing the number to four. These having arrived at a place called Hwang Kang Ling, \icked up a stone a-piece and waited at the side of the road. They had not waited long before one Chou T'ung-fang, a native of a neighbouring district, passed by. He had a belt round his waist in which were dollars, and he carried across his shoulders slung at either end of the pole, packages containing cotton cloth, long ells, thread, and cash, Sun Ts'ai-hsin and Teng Chao-wen ran forward to rob him as soon as they saw him. Sun Hai-yung, one of the four, then threw his stone and hit Chow in the stomach, causing him to drop his pole and lay hold of his parcels, shouting aloud the while for help. Sun Yueh-ts'ai's stone took him at the back of the head and knocked him over, when he commenced to kick and cry and halloo. Sun Ts'ai-hsin's stone struck him on the knee, and Teng Chao-wen's which caught him over the left eye, killed him, The murderers then proceeded to distribute the plunder, the two renegades coming in for a small share. The following sentences have been awarded:—Sun "Te'ai-hsin, decapitation with exposure of the head Teng Chao-ween died in prison, but his head will nevertheless be cut off. The tivo men who did not participate in the murder but only divided the booty, will be banished to a distant and pestilential frontier, The other parties to the crime being dead, their sentence need not be considered.
April 30th—(1) A decree conferring further rewards in connection with the recent ceremonies at the Mausolea, (2) A decree announcing the penalties to be inflicted on the Governor, Financial Commissioner, and Into Judge of Shantung for the offence of having accepted presents from their respective subordinates at the festivals and on their birthdays. They are to Jose three steps of commutative rank and to be removed to other posts. A further step of commutative rank is to be forfeited by Wen Ko, the Governor, and other officers, whose names are not given, for their negligence in the control of their domestics. (See Gazette of 23rd April.)
(8) Postscript memorial from Ch'un Fu, Military Governor of Uliasutai, begging that he may this year be absolved from the obligation to send to His Majesty the annual offering of two cases of jam from the Ha ta fruit. "Tt has hitherto been the custom to order the Mongol patrols to search for thi fruit and send it into the town, where it is made into jem and forwarded to Peking, Last autumn, however, the acting deputy Commandant reported' that the year had been so cold and dry that none of the Ha ta fruit at Ho-fu-lo-k's, the place at which it was to be found, had come to maturity, and he was therefore unable to supply any. In reply he was directed to do his utmost to get some, and he now states that he has been with his men all over the hills to hunt for the fruit, but the drought and wind have really checked the growth for last season and none can be found. Under these circumstances memorialist hopes that His Majesty will be graciously pleased to forego the two cases of jam for the present year. The Grand Council had the honor to receive the following Rescript Noted."
May Ist.—(1) The following' appointments and transfers are noted:—Governor of Shantung, Chow Hong-chi eats Financial Commissioner of Chili, Jen Tao-jung. ££ 9 GP; Financial Commissioner of Chekiang, Tsing Show $f 3%, Tudgo of Chekiang, Sun Chia-ku JH ey, Financial Commissioner of Shantung, Hsieh Yanshéng PEAFf; Judge of Shansi, Sung Chuang Aff; Financial Commissioner of Fuhkien, Oh'ing Vu BER; Judge of Shensi, Pion Pao-ch'iian 35) $f Fe,
for rain in Peking and Shansi to be held (2) decree ordering a gtvie of prayers on the 3rd inst. at five of the State Temples.
Majesty will worship at the Ta Yen.
The Governor-General of Min-chih and the Governor of Kwangtung solicit permission for the Prefect of Ch'ao-chow to be allowed to resign his post, and take up his position amongst the list of expectants for Taotaiships, to which class ho properly belongs. The usual account of the applicants oficial career i given, (4) The Director-General of the Yellow River and the Governor of Honan submit aretum of the amounts collected by the Kweichow contribution agency, the proceeds of which were allowed to be appropriated by Honan for a certain time. This return subdivides the receipts under several complicated headings embracing different grades and classes of officials, which cannot be interesting to the general reader. The accounts embrace a period of twelve months commencing on the 25th January, 1878, and closing on the 7th January, 1879, and the total receipts are given at Tls. 133,545.1.2.4, (6-6) Postscript. memorials from the Director-General of the Yellow River soliciting the bestowal of rewards upon an elderly Indy and the Prefect of Canton, who have spontaneously contributed sums
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.