Censor Li Ying memorialises to the effect that the delays that occur in the investigation of cases in the provinces into which enquiries are ordered to be held, are provocative of many abuses; and he prays that a limit of half a year may hereafter be fixed for the repens called for under these circumstances to be sent in. Whenever provincial high authorities have occasion to denounce their subordinates to the Throne, and they are ordered to hold an called forth this denunciation, it is their enquiry into the circumstances that have manifest duty to proceed to the investigation and settlement of such cases with all despatch. If, as is now represented, they allow favouritism and interest to be introduced into these enquiries, and screen the shortcomings of their subordinates, constantly postponing the settlement of such enquiries of set intent, and releasing the persons concerned on Specious pretences, they do indeed display a great disregard for the importance of the duties that devolve upon them. Hereafter, the provincial high authorities must positively settle such cases with all promptitude, and report the nature of the settlement arrived at.
(2) Feng Shen, Military Governor of Sui-yuan Ch'éng, is permitted, as a special favour, to ride within the precincts of the Forbidden City.
No other documents of importance.
September 13th.—(1) Memorial from Ts'én Yii-ying, Goverior of Kueichow, requesting that the Magistrate of the T'ung-en District of the T'ung-jen Prefecture in that province, who has failed to punish a murderer whom he was instructed to But on his trial, may be cashiered. Yang 'san-kuang and others had a quarrel with two brothers, Yang Hui-ch'ang and Yang Shih-ch'ang, in te year 1874, on the subject of accounts,. which resulted in the murder of Yang Shih-ch'any; and the matter having been reported to the acting Magistrate, the parties concerned in the crime were arrested with a view to being placed on their trial, but the acting Magistrate did not discover who was the actual perpetrafor of the murder, and failed to send in the depositions of the prisoners, contenting himself with forwarding minutes of the inquest only. His place was taken in the following year by one Ssu Chao-fen, who, like his predecessor, neglected to have up the criminals before him or send in their depositions to his superior. When the limit allowed for the capture of the murderer had passed, he was denounced in the usual manner, and at the end of the third and last limit he himself invited his superior to denounce him for failure to arrest the murderer, but at the same time released the defendants in the case who were already in custody. He was removed, and his successor Jen Vu-tung also continued in the manner of his predecessors, to withhold a report on the case and took bail for the defendants already released. At last the brother of the murdered man appealed to the Office of Gendarmerie in Peking, and the case was referred to the memorialist, who finds that the action of the three successive Magistrates is open to grave suspicion, for it seems as if they had all been bribed to suppress the case. He has now therefore to request that they may all be cashiered preparatory to being placed on their trial at the conclusion of the rehearing of the appeal now under consideration. Should it transpire at the rehearing of this case that they have, as suspected, been bribed to let the guilty parties go, they will be rigorously punished in the manner laid down by law.—Granted by Rescript.
September 14th.—(1) Chang Chih-tung is appointed Senior Deputy Supervisor of Imperial Supervisorate of Instruction.
(2) Ting An, Military Governor of Héh-fang reports the escape of an clansman from his place of Hui Ling, the individual in question, was banished with his wife and family to Sheng-king, and placed under strict official surveillance, in consequence of having been found guilty of obstructing the solders engaged in conveying treasure from the Treasury of the Board of Revenue for the use of their respective corps, and defrauding them of money. hile at Sheng-king he became mixed up in a gambling quarrel, and stole some clothes to pay off gambling debts, upon which occasion he was sentenced by Imperial decree to banishment, with his wife and family, to the Amoor, where he was to be placed under the strictest official supervision. He arrived in the month of May, 1876, and was placed by the Governor under the surveillance of the Blue Bauner at Tsi-tsi-har. The Colonel of this corps now reports that Hui Ling left his dwelling alone on the 3rd of June last, and has not returned. His wife was sent for and interrogated, and she declared that her husband was subject to periodical fits of mental aberration, but since his arrival in Héh-long Kiang he had been cured. Having no means of subsistence in this poverty-stricken place, her husband, who had some knowledge of "external therapeutics,"" had practised as a doctor amongst the neighbouring villages. For the last two months and more he had not been home, and she expected that he had been with one of his old attacks, and had rushed wildly off in some direction or other. Orders have now been given for search to be made for him in every direotion, and the Imperial Clan Court, the Board of Punishments, and the Governor of Sheng-king have been communicated ith. The man will be dealt with of course in the event of his re-capture in the proper manner, but in the meantime the memorialist has written to the Imperial Clan Court as to the disposal of Hui Ling's wife, as he does not know whether she ought or ough! not to be sent back to Peking.—Rescript Let the Yamen concerned take note.
(8) Postscript memorial from the same officer. Having learned from the Lieutenant-General at Puteka that a eunuch called Shen Feng-ming, who had been sent as a military slave to the Amoor, had run away on the 30th of July last, officers were sent in pursuit, and orders issued for his arrest wherever he might be found. The eunuch was in due course captured, and on being brought before the officer whom the memorialist had deputed to examine him, he stated that he had absconded because he could no longer endure the hardships to which ho was exposed at his place of banishment, assuming an imperious and blustering manner in the presence of his interlocutor. It appears that Shen Feng-ming was first banished to Ta-sheng Wu-la, from whence he escaped and returned to Peking. He was caught, and in accordance with the penalties laid down by law for five attempts at escape, was beaten with a hundred blows and banished to the Amoor as a slave to the military for the space of four years, when he would be sent -back. He arrived on the station on the 4th of July last, and his audacious attempt at escape' so shortly afterwards shows confirmed contempt for law and authority. If a severe example be not made of him, it is likely that his lead will be followed by other eunuchs who may be sent into banishment. In the year 1878, a eunuch called Yang Wen-vii, having run away five times from his place of banishment, was to Héh-lung Kiang as a slave to the soldiery, and again ran away. He was sent back and condemned to imprisonment for life, and as the present is a parallel case, the memorialist would suggest that the. eunuch Shen Feng-ming be confined in the outer prison of the jail at Héh-lung Kiang that he may learn that the meshes of the lowa of the realm are close, and that these laws are strictly carried out; and also that he may-cleanse his heart and turn him into the ways of uprightness. At the expiration of four years, the memorialist will ascertain whether he has repented him of his wickedness, and will respect the laws, taking. further action as the case may be.—Sanctioned by Rescript, September 15th.—(1) Fu Sheng Bit is appointed Deputy Lieutenant-General at Shan-hai Kuan, his place at Nanking being taken by Yao Tion Wk FA.
(2) The Governor of Shantung reports that the grain fleet passed out of that province into the Wei-ho on the 16th of August.
(3) Ting An, Governor of Héh-lung Kiang, reports that he has taken stock of Aopartments at Tsistsi-har, and has checked the materials stored in the military store
the bullion in the treasury with the accounts, He finds everything correct as far as number is concerned, but the gun-carriages have not been repaired for a number of years, and are not in a very substantial condition. The boats, also, hugh their number is complete, are likewise in need of repairs, which have been deferred hitherto for lack of funds, Strict orders have now been given for the necessary repairs to be made within a given limit of time. Some of the foreign rifles at Putehar and other places are in need of repair, as are also some of the bows and swords. Orders have also been given for these to be looked to at once.
(4) The remainder of this day's Gazette is occupied with along the aport of an enquiry by governor of Kueichow into the circum-ices of the death of a coolie who was being examined on a charge of absconding with a load he was carrying, consisting of the personal effects of a literary graduate who was travelling on the public service. The coolie, who had broken open the boxes and abstracted some of the contents, was not caught for some time, and on being examined by the Magistrate, his answers were so unsatisfactory that the former ordered his runners to beat him. One of them seized the coolie for that purpose, and as the latter struggled with him, he put his knee into the back of the coolie to force him down, In so doing, he contrived to inflict an injury on the coolie's ribs, which caused his death a few days afterwards. Instead of holding a for inquest and duly reporting the matter, Magistrate ordered the man to be buried. The matter having been subsequently
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.