Shensi and Kansu, submits a memorial reporting the occurrence of an earthquake in the South-eastern districts of the province of Kansu, and the measures of relief at present adopted. He has been informed by Ch'ung Pao, the Financial Commissioner of the province, that reports announcing the occurrence of an earthquake lasting from' 29th June to 11th July have been received from the following districts Chieh Chow, Wen Hsien, Ch'éug Hsien, Hsi-ku Chow, Ch'in-an, 'Ching-shui, Li Hsien, Hui Hsien, Liang-tang, San-ch'a, Ching' Chow, Ch'ung-hsien, Ling-t'ai, An-hua, Ning-chow, Ku-yuan, Hai-ch'éng, Pung-liang, Ching-ning, Lung-te, Hua-ping, Hsi-ho, Tao Chow, Lung-hsi, Hui-ning and An-ti juring the interval between the 19th June and the Ist July slight shocks were felt nearly every day, but this was all. On the Ist of July, however, at about 4 am., a violent shock occurred in Chieh Chow, Wen Hsien and Hsi making 2 noise like thunder and consi the ground to open and water to rush out. The city walls, as well as the public offices, ancestral and other temples, and private houses were either levelled to the ground or split and rent asunder. The number of persons crushed to death varied from 10 in some places to 200 or 300 in others, in addition to which a large quantity of cattle was destroyed. On receipt of the information, the Financial Commissioner sent off agents to ascertain the extent of the damage, in order that relief might be sent, and at the same time reported the circumstances to the Governor-General. The latter observes that, in consequence of the thick ness of the crust of the earth and the depth of the water in Kansu, there is constantly an accumulation of subterranean gases and sub-aqueous vapours which find 2 vent in frequent earthquakes; but as a rule these are very slight, and all is over in a moment. In the present instance, both Shensi and Kansu have simultaneously reported disastrous results from the earthquake, which has been particularly severe in the east of Kansu, though the amount of damage done varies in different departments and districts. In some places one shock only was felt; in others, several in succession; while in others, again, they continued for the whole ten days, censing the people to live in constant dread of being crushed. Many of them passed their nights in the open, and at moments when the danger was ituminent their cries of distress were truly piteousto hear. There being no one to attend to the animals, even more of these than of human beings were injured or crushed to death, while most of the city walls, temples, public offices and private dwellings were destroyed, and havoc wrought of far greater extent than in disasters of an ordinary kind, Providentially, it so happened that the summer harvest had just been gathered, and this being a plentiful one, the measures of relief required were easily carried out. 'The sums necessary for repairs to buildings will, with the exception of those places in which the damage has been very severe, be raised locally, and there will be no' necessity to apply for large sums from the Government for this purpose. The memorialist has already taken counsel with Yang Ch'ang-chun, and the provincial Commissioners have been instructed to send officers to the places that have suffered, to ascertain the amount of damage done'and to unite with the duly accredited authorities in each place in taking the various necessary stops, As soon as the task shall have been completed and a report drawn up, the memorialist will again address His Majesty. The fate of Lu Tsun-kung, Director of studies, and Li Yi-yin, Sub-Director of studies, at Chieh Chow,' who with their whole households, ave been swallowed w and disappeared, is specially deplorable, an the provincial Commissioners have been directed to be particularly careful to render the necessary compassionate offices. 'The Board has also been communicated with announcing the vacancies that have been created, and requesting that fresh officers may be selected to fill them. The memorialist begs to submit this report of the disaster conjointly with Yang Ch'ang-chun, Assistant High Commissioner for the reorganisation of Kansu and the New Dominion.
As regards the responsibility incurred by of jortcomings upon the frontier of memorialist, who, awaiting the punishment
the Empire, has had the shamefacedness to filch honors that are not his due, and has now brought down misfortune by the unseemly performance of the functions with which he has been entrusted, it becomes his duty humbly to implore His Majesty of His heavenly grace immediately to bestow dismissal upon him, as a warning, and deterrent to others. Ho submits this request on his personal account, (For decree see Gazette of 23rd August.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.