Chia-pi, governor of Shun-tien Fa, recently transferred from the same office at Feng-tien, reporting on the merits of twe ib-directors of studies in the latter "province. The application of the laws, which are exercised only in the case of actions already committed, is simple of comprehension; the action of education, which is a means for the prevention of the commission of actions which the law takes notice of, is more difficult to appreciate. Givil authorities control common people, educational officials instruct the educated. Hence, the post of director of studies one that is honoured by the State. And yet the world in general is in the habit of despising this office because it is one of small status, and those therefore try to obtain it who are fond of light and easy work. There are, consequently, numbers who will perform the duties conscientiously, but there is not one in a thousand that can be found to fulfil them in the manner that Hu Yuan, ter of the Sung, was wont to do. ' During his term of office in Feng-tien, the memorialist combined the post of Director of Education with his other function he found that the directors of studies performed their duties satisfactorily. Tt seems to him, therefore, that he ought to commend one or two of them to the notice of His Majesty. Hua Ch'ang-ching, a chu-jen from Tientsin, whose degree dates from 1831, has held the post of sub-direc-for of studies at K'ai-yuan Hsien for 26 years, has applied himself diligently to the study of the Canonical Books and History, and is the author of several works, besides being a diligent investigator of the writings of the Han and Sung schoolman. On every occasion upon which the Sacred Edict is expounded, as well as at the spring and autumn sacrifices at the temple of Confu-dus, he displays a commendable reverence ncerity in the performance of his lar fumetions. He constantly him-ceps the Hall of Confucius, and makes a point of inspecting in person the animals and other offerings prepared. for sacrifice to the Canonised Sage. He has been energetic in the performance of the educational duties of his post, and has besides revised the topographical history of the district, and restored the temple to chaste widows and filial people. Besides holding the regular monthly examinations, ho is constantly having the students before him and instilling into them the [doctrines inculcated in] the Canonieal Books, and [the moral lessons to be learnt from] History; with the necessity of practising the principles they laid down in their essays. His teachings have had their effect, and a gradual increase in the number of successful candidates can be noticed, Being afflicted with deafness in one of his ears, he begged for permission to retire last summer, but his students prayed the magistrate not to let him Leave was granted him, but at its expiration, he again applied to retire, and was allowed todo so. The memorialist would humbly suggest that, in accordance with existing precedent, Hua Ch'ang-ching may have some post in the capital assign tohim. The memorialist also bears testi-many to the merit of another-sub-director who has been recommended for the post of District Magistrate. Referred to the Board.
January 2nd.—(1) Ch'ung How, Senior Vice-President of the Court of Censors, having been despatched on a mission, has taken upon himself to set forth on his return to the capital without awaiting the Imperial decree [authorising his return, As a first step let him be committed to Board for the determination of a rigorous penalty, and let him vacate his post pending their decision. Let the Grand Seoretaries, Presidents of the Six Boards and nine chief Ministries of State, together with the Imperial Academy and Supervisorate of Instruction, take into careful consideration the Treaty and Regulations negotiated by him, as well as the memorials on the subject presented by the Tsung-li Yamen on successive occasions. They will report the result to Us.
Hai-vii on the mixture that is to be found (2) Memorial from the Censor Chan;
at present in the collection of aspirants to office. This evil is increasing day by day, and since the extension of the purchase system in consequence of the needs of the Government created by military operations, a system that has been further extended of late owing to the need for money created by the unprecedented famine in Shansi and Honan, the numbers of purchasers of rank that present themselves at the Boards for inspection have crowded one upon the other toa greater degree than they have ever done before. The abolition of the purchase system has led to the adoption of various artifices, such as falsification of the date when the purchase was made, transfer of reversions from one to another for a monetary consideration, No less than upwards of two hundred in viduals, sometimes as many as three liu dred, have since the beginning of this year been passed by the Board of Civil Ottice upon each occasion that an inspection has beer held. These expectants of office range in rank from Secretaries of the Boards of Revenue, Wat, Punishments, or Works, in the capital, and Taotais, in the provinces, down to the smallest petty officials. At this computation the annual number of expectants of office so passed amounts to some three thousand individuals, whose merits are decided solely by test of the sums respectively contributed by them, and their conformity with the regulations governing the purchase system. The abolition of the purchase system affords a fitting opportunity which should not be lost for the reform of the abuse indicated. Under the regulations, officials in metropol-iran boards must serve a probation of three be subjected to a severe test examina-years, at the end of which time they will
tion by their respective chiefs, and then be appointed to the post of provincial Taotais, Prefects, or Magistrates, as the case may be. They must then serve a further probationary period in the provinces, and after th merits have been tested by the provincial high authorities, they will be given important or minor posts in proportion to the ability they have displayed. The system, which is also pursued in the case of minor officials, is perfect in theory, but lapse of time has caused laxity in its execution. No scrutiny is maintained over probationers, and though metropolitan officials have a yamen assigned them, they never go there, and learn nothing whatever about official business. At the expiration of the three years of probation they are, asa matter of course, recommended to His Majesty as fit for retention in the public service, and the same thing occurs at the conclusion of their year of probation in the provinces. Can it be possible that every one of these persons is gifted with the requisite ability? The memorial concludes with a prayer that metropolitan and provincial high authorities may be instructed to exercise the supervision they are expected to exercise in a conscientious manner, and recommend the retention only of those aspirants of whose fitness they are perfectly satisfied. (See Gazette of 20th Dec., 1879.)
January 3rd.—(1) Chih Ho is appointed Vice-President of the Court of Censors (vice Chang How.)
(2) A Decree. The Censor Tien Hancl'ih gives four instances of the evils wrought by extortion on the part of grasping underlings, and prays that they may be strictly prohibited from indulgence in the malpractices indicated, He states that in the Ch'ing-wan district in Chibli the official underlings are in the habit of purchasing from the gatekeepers the privilege of serving warrants in the case of lawsuits, armed with which they yo to the villages concerned to summon the witnesses or other parties whose presence is required, and extort from these people money for cart-hire. When both parties to a suit have arrived, they insist on coming to an understanding as to the foes that are to be paid them before the case is allowed to go before the Court. When cases are set-tied out of court the parties are not allowed to file a petition to that effect in the court, until what are called "arbitration foes" are paid. These and numerous other exactions are verily a grievous injustice to the common people, and if abuses of this kind really do exist in Chilli, it is more than robable that other provinces are not free from the same, Let the Governor-General of Chilli and other Governors-General direct their subordinates to put a stop to such malpractices with a heavy hand, and deal with any official underlings indulging in them as the law directs, (8) Memorial from the Acting Governor-General of Szechuen praying that the pur-stem may be continued in Szechuen during the yest 1880 (6th of Kwang Lis), as the reveuine of the province is insuflicie to meet the expenditure. An Imperial decree was issued on the 19th of February, 1879, consenting to a proposal from the Board that the purchase system should be continued in Szechuen for the 5th year of Kwang Hsii, In this memorial the Board of Revenue pointed out that the conditions under which the sale of offices and titles Szechuen was conducted differed from those of other provinces, for it was one where comparative wealth existed, and from the reign of Hsien Feng up to the date of the memorial, some Taels 30,000,000 and upwards had been raised by the purchase system. The suggestion for its continuation during the year 1879 was made by the Board after the issue of the decree abolis! ing purchase. Inasmuch, however, as the inhabitants of Szechuen were for the most part patriotic, and for many years past the returns of receipts under this heading had shown an eagerness on their part to come forward with contributions, the Court would not do well to stifle this evidently sincere desire to offer assistance to their country. The Board therefore recommended the continuation of the system in Szechuen because of the absence of abuses in connection with its working, but. its resumption need not afford a precedent for other provinees to follow. This memorial was communicated at the time to the officers forming the financial committee of the province. They now report that the taxes on laud, salt, and goods had never been sufficient to meet the expenditure of the province, which was indebted for grants in aid to Hunan and other provinees. When the rebellion was over, these grants in aid had already long ceased to be furnished, and Szechuen, on the contrary, was compelled to furmsh aid to them, Under these circumstances, successive {Governors-General were compelled year by year to suggest the continuation of 1 purchase system to which the local mil tary expenditure, as well as that of other provinees, have been largely indebted for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.