September 3rd.—(1) A Decree, in answer toa Memorial from the Board of to the effect that ''song Kno-ch'dan should degraded two steps and removed to another office, commuting his punishment to loss of rank with retention in office (see Gaxetle of 25th August. than, Senior Deputy Supervisor of Instruction.
(8) A Decree from the Empress-Dowager, ordering the Board of Revenue to issue Tls. 60,000 to each of the three provinces Anhui, Chekiang and Kiangsi, to: bo from the autumn payment to the Palace, and, to prevent delay, to be meanwhile retained out of the subsidies duo from these provinces. Abundant relief is to be afforded by the authorities in Kiangsu, Shantung, Hupei, Ssu-ch'aan, Fukien and Shansi which have also suffered from floods.
(4 and 5) Decrees appointing Yii-kun rain Intendant in Kiangsi, and Li Chao-tang Director of the Banqueting Court.
(G) Memorial from Chang Ohi reporting the abolition or curtailing most of the public charges in Shansi, and the laying down of rigorous rules for the prohibition of presents and gifts in kind. The Memorialist observes that the dread of insufficient funds for their public business, added to the deductions from the salaries and allowances, drives the higher provincial officers to trust to presents from thole subordinates on various occasions—such as the Three Groat Festivals, the birthdays of the official and of his wife, and the four seasons, In Kiangnan, Fuh: kien and other provinces, this burden on the lower officials has been removed by supplying the wants of the higher officers from other sources: but in Shansi, where no other funds are available, these charges must be reduced or abolished. Iu1880 Wang Ting-an, fearing lest the poverty-stricken officials of Shansi would not be able to pay the old fees in full, instigated Pao-hen under the pretence of doing away with t unauthorised fees, to increase the charges on the lower magistrates by changing the fees into public charges, to be paid regularly in silver, general complaint, and the Memorialist, on arriving at his port, found, on loo into the matter, that only in two districts had the alleged reduction of one-fifth taken place, while in the rest the foes had boon reduced only one-tenth or one-twentier which, considering the increase in the weight and touch of the silver required, was really an addition to the burden. Further, the old fees were never paid in full, or on all the proper occasions, nor were fts in kind always accepted. Onder how system, on the other hand, officers nit to collect the public char jaunt was stopped out of the subor ates' salaries etc. in the hands of their superers, The Memorialist has done away with all the charges due to his office, together with the gate-fees and the like "squeezes," and has for the most_part abolished the charges paid to the Judge Intendants and Prefects throughout the province. 'I'venty-five departments and districts of notable poverty which used to ex, have been released from paynent; int five that are also poverty-stricken and have not hitherto paid them, the levy of all charges is for ever forbidden; to six Hing outside the pass, freedom from payment is restored; in sixty-four ting, departments and districts which used to pay the charges and do not suffer from poverty, they are reduced on—half, The Memorialist has supplemented the. salaries of those officials whose jurisdictions are poor, or who have suffered most loss from the reform, from the charges abolished in his own office. The yearly saving effected is reckoned at Tis, 78,916, The gifts in kind have been totally abolished.
(7) A Postscript Memorial from Tso Tsung-tang, reporting that Ya-lu, Governor of Auhivei states that Ching-ch'ang, i of the Wu-tsai Batta-y of falsehood and con-of te balance of deprived of his rank als officer and a Cap Kuo Ying-k wei brought accusations against each other, which led to an investigation.—Granted by Rescript.
(8) A Postscript Memorial from T'u Tsung-ying, denouncing various officers for avarice, senility, want of energy, oF want of ability, and requesting their dismissal, compuleary retirement, degradation, or removal to other posts, (See Gazette of Sth August, September 4th,—(1) Sung-pu, Secretary of the Ofice of Travemission, denounces Ying-shan, Secretary of the Manufacturin, and Supply Departiaent of the Imperiel Household. The Memorialist observes that the Court and every to reduce the important expenses of the Palace, At the present moment when the treasury funds are low and the position full of difficulties, the' officials of the Household, whose office it is to administer the expenditure, should be especially cleanhanded. 'The Memorialist hears Uhit Ying-shou, who was dismissed on account of his' low, greedy nature, has again wormed himself into the service and, by a hundred arts, strives to obtai the management of all the official duti ho can,—His rapacity is insatiable leagues himself with the official un lings by means of his servants; he draws money in excess, and exaggerates his expenditure; he is cunning in absorbing money, and his actions are at once deceit ful and secret. The Memorialist fears that though his superiors have not found him out, such an unworthy official may not only, by engrossing an important office, inflict great damage on the finances, but may also encourage other degenerate officials to follow hia example, and thus avatioa will become a custom, and innumerable abuses be engendered.' The Memorialist humbly requests an enquiry into Yingxd} shou's conduct by his Superior. (Seo Gazette of Gth August.)
(2) Another Memorial from Sung-pu, requesting that the misdeeds of Bu-tino and Chu Kuei-d relatives of the leit' who was last year denounced for interfering in the business of the Treasury of the Board after his term of ofice was over, may be brought to light and these extortionate clerks driven away, These two clerks are reported to have established a private office, where they exact fees from the officers who bring tribute money to the Capital. If these officers do not consent, they retain their despatches and ao make them incur the penalty of exceeding the time allowed them, or else they report their silver d ficient in weight. They had the luck to escape the law at the last investigation, and have become bolder in consequence. They practise what extortion they like whenever they receive or issue the pay of the forces. (See Decree of 6th August.
(8) Memorial from Chang Shu-sheng denouncing the District Magistrate of Anping, Liu Ch'ui-yin. A Censor having reported that the amount of Government service money exacted in Chilli was not truly and talcly reported, orders were given. for a return of all the items hitherto included in it. It is now found that there has heretofore existed, in An-pring a levy of money instead of 53 carts for coal auc charcoal for the public examinations, in which were included the clerks' rations and their pay. trate, however, returned the member of carts as 100, though, on account of popular dissatisfaction, lo afterwards changed the number to 53; he also returned the levy per cart as 29 tiao 750 cash, more than 400 tiao too much, Although the Magistrate is reported to have levied this excessive sum to supply the deficiency in the supplies for the examinations, and not have appropriated it himself, and although he has not received 20 ties of it, which the Financial Commis sioner ordered to be remitted, he has shown 'a want of compassion fur the people, and a contempt for the laws, for which he
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.