December 20th—(1) Tso Tsun, and Yany Oh'ang-chitn, Assistant Admit trator of the New Dominion, report that the usual autumn inspection has been held of the troops quartered in the capital of Kansu, These troops consist of the Governor-General's division and six regiments of infantry and cavalry, which are Grilled under the immediate supervision of the Governor-General, and_ formally inspected twice a year. The last inspection was held in the month of April, 1880, by the memorialist Yang Ch'ang-chitu, owing to the absence of the Governor-General beyond the frontier, and the result was reported at the time to his Majesty. On the present occasion the inspection was, as before, held by the memorialist Yang Ch'ang-chun, The men were put through the evolutions known as hsiang-shan-chen, and ssu-chan-chen; their marching was regular, and they showed great proficiency in advancing and retiring. Their volley-firing and artillery practice was also good, while their sword and shield exercises were dexterous, and the general improvement of the men since the last inspection was very marked. Rewards were conferred on themest deserving, and the officers were positively instructed to continue zealous in the matter of drill.
(2) The Acting Governor of Shansi reports that a fire broke out in the yamen of the Provincial Judge at noon on the 26th of November, during "the absence of the Financial Commissioner and Judge, who were with the memorialist at the time. On hearing of the fire, they all three hurried to the spot and sent for the fire engines, and under their personal guidance the fire was extinguished in less than two hours. Unfortunately there was a high wind blowing at the time, and five dwell rooms and three other apartments were destroyed. The members of the Judge's family saved his seal, but not a scrap of anything else was saved. No public documents, however, were burnt, and the surrounding dwelling-houses escaped. The fire was caused by an escape of flame from one of the stove beds, which caught the door sill of one of the rooms, and thence ignited the roof. The Acting Financial Commissioner solicits the bestowal of a penalty for his want of precaution, and requests permission to be allowed to make good the damage at his own expense.
(8) The Governor-General ut the Two Kuang reports the transmission of the fourth instalment of the Peking subsidy for the present year, This instalment, amounting to Tis, 91,230, has been remitted in bills by the hand of an expectant sub-Prefect.
December 21st.—(1) Memorial from the Governor-General of the Hu-kuang Provinces and the Governor of Hupeh, submitting a list of the officers who have displayed zeal and ability in the collection of lekin in the province of Hupeh during the past three years. Hu Lin-yi, former Governor of Hupeh, was the first to suggest the establishment of lekin collectorates in Hupeh, and at the close of that year he was furnished with a copy of the regulations under which the system was conducted in Kiangsu, with instructions to put these tions intoefivct as. tentativemeasure. In the year 1857, a central agency was established in Wu-eh'ang Fu, presided over by a Taotai. The experiment was attended with marked success, and on successive ocean sions the officers to whom this success was due were recommended by the Governor-General for the bestowal of rewards, which were granted by his Majesty. A scrutiny of the accounts now shows that the follow ing sums have been collected from the year 1877 From April 1877 cane' taen From April 18'8 guygoa 080, APT Are 580,623 989,910 Fee API 1880 f 612498 1,999,046 ting a total in Taels of 3,800,400, amount a certain sum has been contributed to the construction of the Mausolea for the Empresses Dowager, to the coast defence fund, river works, and the Yangtsze navy, and the balance has been absorbed' by the committes of reorganisation, The memorialists have to observe that since the withdrawal under Imperial decree of certain collectorates in the year 1867, the revenue has decreased and expenditure increased to such an extent that the financial condition of the province was to all intents a bankrupt one. Of Jate years the lekin revenue has been farther reduced by the abolition of the duty on rice and grain, while the number of transit passes taken out at the treaty ports for foreign imports and native exports, Which free these commodities from all the barriers, isa potent factor in the annual decrease of the revenue, to which must be added the increasing circulation of goods under foreign transit pass from I-ch'ang. The revenue is thus considerably restricted, and the calls for expenditure on account of subsidies to the capital, inerensed coast defence, the Yangtsze navy, ete. ete., have still to be met by this fund. The condition of the Yangtsze trade, too, has altered, the inland feeders of this stream being no longer the sources of revenue they were. Hence the necessity for careful reorganisaof this system, which has to be effected, nevertheless, with great caution in order not to hinder or cripple commercial enterprise. The establishments have to be conducted on the most economical principles and the agents employed have to perform their duties with zeal and integrity. A comparison of the receipts for the past three years with those for the previous three years does not show great discrepancy, while the difficulties attending the collection of this revenue are far greater than they used to be. It is only right therefore that the agents to whose efforts this comparative success is due should be recommended to His Majesty for the bestowal of marks of distinction. A list of their names is accordingly appended.
December 22nd.—The only document of importance in this day's Gazette is a lon; memorial from the Presidents of the Board of Civil Office and other Yaméns, reporting the decision they have come tolas to the penalties to be inflicted on the high officers whose conduct at Moukden has called forth censure from his Majesty. This memorial, which quotes at length the decrees already issued on the subject, consists of extracts from the law with reference to acts of impropriety on the part of members of the official body. with the penalties provided for misconduct of this nature.—For decree in reply seo Gazette of 13th December.
December 23rd.—(1) Ch'tian Ch'ing Ay is appointed Grand Secretary of the i Jen Ko, (2) A further series of prayers for snow is announced for the 25th instant, in which his Majesty will take part.
The remainder of this day's Gazette is occupied with memorials recommending officers for minor vacancies, requesting the removal of others who are unfit for the duties of their post, and recording applications for sick leave.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.