April 23rd.—{1) The Prince of Kung applies for five days leave of absence from duty.
(2) The Privy Council receive a verbal Decree ordaining that on the 27th inst. there need be no attendance at the Palace. (N. B. This is on account of an intended Visit of his Majesty to inspect the progress of the works' of Yuan Ming Yian-—(the Summer Palace.)
(8) A Memorial from the Governor-General of Fuhkien and Chekiang and the Governor of Fukien, reporting the apprehension of sundry' criminals who have committed robberies with the aid of stupefying drags, It appears that a gang of six men, vagabonds from different provinces, had lately associated themselves under the leadership of one Chang Ping-lan, alias Chang the Kidnapper, who had discovered in an old book a recipe for a stupefying compound which would throw its victims into a state of unconsciousness for several hours, This man and two others of the band fell into the hands of the authorities in October Inst, when they confessed the above facts, together with sundry instances of robbery committed within the last 2 or 3 years by the aid of their potion. The circumstances which led to the arrest were as follows. One of the party, named Hwang Teh-sheng, having ascertained that two private letter carriers from Hunan were collecting money letters to be forwarded to that province, laid a plot to drag these men, which was done by means of a potion mixed with some bean-curd soup which they drank unsuspectingly. Having set out on their journey in company with the confederales, the postmen roped down in an unconscious state after reaching a point 15 li distant from the start ing place, and the robbers thereupon made off with their bag of letters. Hwang Teh-sheng persuaded three of his confederates to separate from him, with the promise of meeting ata certain spot to divide the spoil, but on repairing thither the men found that their friends had given them the slip, and being overtaken by the letter-carriers they ized and given into custody. The of the trial is that the two principal offenders have been summarily executed, and the third prisoner sentenced to banishment into slavery in Chinese Turkistan. Pending the re-opening of communications with that dependency he is committed to prison, having been branded on one cheek vith the words " guilty of using stupefying drugs," and on the other with the words "sentenced to transportation." The authon of the province in which the father of one of the condemned crime lives will be desired to call him to account failure to keep his son under due aint; and the Magistrate of the District where the robbery was committed is held bound under the usual penalties to complete the arrest of the remaining offenders, April 24th.—(1) Reports rendered by the Prince of Li, the captain-general of the Constabulary' Ying-yuan, and other high officials, of the completion of the scrutiny of the candidates who entered yesterday for the first three days' examination.
(2) The Constabulary yamen report having arrested aculpritnamed Chiao Yung-ho, who was intending to lay a supplication before his Majesty in persea, An order for his delivery to the Board of Panishments is requested.
(8) The Board of War report the penalty incurred by Mut'ushen, the Manchu commander-in-chief of Ninghia, for a mistake committed ina memorial to his Majesty. Rescript: "Let Mut'ushen be mulcted in one year's salary."
(4) The Governor-General of Fukien and Chekiang reports a case of enforced exchange, in conformity with regulation, between two officers of the rank of Major. One of them, being connected by marriage with the family of the provincial commander-in-chief, cannot remain within the latter's jurisdiction, and is ordered to exchange with an officer of corresponding; rank now stationed at Wen-chow in Che-
(6) The same high official lauds, in a postscript memorial, the ability and inter grity of an expectant Taotai named K'i Tien-min, who has been for the last ten ears at the head of the joint Customs? and i-kin office at Nan-lat (Foochow). The importance of this point as an emporium of foreign trade is adverted to, and it is stated that the officer in question has gained by his activity and impartiality the confidence alike of Chinese and foreign merchants. "More than 10,000,000 ads have been raised by him during his tenure of office, which have gone to supply Peking and the provinces with the funds they needed. Tt is requested that the brevet title of Financial Commissioner be conferred upon him, April 25th.—(1) The th issued for the first portion of the triennial examinations are published.
(2) The Governor-General of Sze-ch'wan reports the gratifying desire of certain aboriginal tribes on the border of the Province, who have been subject to Chinese control since the early part of last century, to be admitted to the status of ordinary subjects of the Empire, placed on the foot ing of the tax-paying population, and_permitted to share in the boon of competition at the literary examinations, This memorial is referred for the-consideration of the proper Board.
April 26th.—(1) The programme of the Imperial movements for to-morrow is sot forth. His Majesty will leave Peking by the N. W. gate, and proceed to inspect the works in progress at the An-yew Palace, (tian Ming Yuan), after which Majesty will return to the city by the sume ro (2) At the instance of the Supervisor Pien-pao-ts'iian, a Docree is issued in favour ofa Kijén named Sich Hwang-chang, who had been excluded from the privilege of entering at the forthcoming competition owing to defects found in his productions at the test examinations. A commission of enquiry is appointed to investigate his case, (8). A Decree. Wénsiang having memo-realized Us, stating that his complaint gives no sign of recovery and again imploring Teave to retire frou office, "We ordain that he be granted a further extenri of leave for two months for the benefit ut h health, and be not required to vacate office, Respect this!
April 27th.—(1) An address of thanks has been presented by the Grand Secretary Wénsiang, for the extension of aick-leave granted to him, (2) The Board of Civil Office memorialize stating the penalties adjudged against cor-tain of the functionaries in Yun-nan, whose remissness in dealing with a case of complaint led up to the murder ofa Prefect, as lately reported. The Provincial Commi sioner of Justice, Ch'éng Hien, and the District Magistrate concerned, are each to be degraded two steps and to be removed to other employ.—he Imperial rescript modifies this sentence to the extent of making the degradation to one step only in each case.
(3) An Imperial Decree ordains the erection of a memorial temple in honour of Shen Chao-shen, formerly acting Governor-General of Shensi and Kansuh, who lost his life some years go, in the active prosecution of operations quelling the Mahommedan troubles, by drowning in a sudden flood.
April 28th.—(1), The Prince of Kung pays his respects on the expiry of his congo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.