December 6th.—(1) A Decree. Yesterday we issued a Decree, directing Pao Ting to fill the post of Junior Vice-President of the Board of Rites. Pao-t'in, memorialised us to the effect that his experience is not sufficient to justify him in accepting the port, and he prays us to withdraw his commission, Pao''ing, when occasion demands, does not hesitate to speak out, and we have always immediately given effect to auch of his suggestions a8 were reasonable. Our intention in promoting him to be Vice-President of a Board, was not to bestow an empty honour upon him, but to give him an opportunity of acquiring that experience the lack of which he deplores. In conferring appointments the State has no other object than that of finding a suitable field for the development of the official's talents, Let Pao Ting discharge the duties o with energy and care, and st duly grateful for the favour he has received at Our hands. His application for the withdrawal of his commission need not be considered.
(2) Cheng Lin, late Superintendent of the Linsi-an Customs, reports that he is bringing with him to ig Tls. 9,267, being the amount of the duty on opium collected by his establishment during the year ended October Sist, 1881, (8) Ting Pao-chen reports banishment with labour of a pai pronounced on a Major in th army, who, being sent to quell a disturbance on the borders of Kansu, extorted money from the inhabitants of that region under the pretext of wishing to repair some military stations. When his offence discovered, he refunded the money to rious contributors, and on this account the penalty of strangulation to which he had rendered himself liable, m commuted for one of less An applied for four months' leav (1) A Decree directing a commemorative tablet to be forwarded to Hangchow by the Imperial College of Insc-options, and suspended there in the Wen Lan Library. This institution was utterly destroyed at the time of the rebellion, but has been since restored by T'an Chung-lin. Owing to the exertions and contributions of two of the local yeutry, Ting Shen and Ting of the lost books have been replaced, and the library is again becoming te resort of lettered 1 The Tien, or office of the Imperial Library, is also directed to issue a complete copy of the History of the Kuangsi Rebellion to the Institution.
(2) Ya Lu, Governor of Anhui, anbmits a return of the numbers of the Chinese troops stationed in his province, The total number of Chinese troops employed on garrison duty in Aului should be by regulation, 9,442; comprising 918 cavalry, 1,739 infantry ready for 6/785 foot soldiers com; garrisons for the more important provincial towns, Memorialist now reports that the troops at present in Anhui fall short of this number by 318 men, and he has accordingly made this deficiency the subject of a direct memorial to the Throne instead of contenting himself by merely entering it in the periodical returns.—Rescript: Let the Board of War take note.
(8) Jen Tao-yung, Governor of Sh tung, reports s case of poisoning, the cumstances of which were as follow:—Li Fa-cheng, anative of Kao-mi Hsien, being in straitened circumstances, sold his wife, Li Sheng shih, for twelve tiao to a name-ake Li Ching-kuei. The woman moved into the house of her new husband, in which his brother Li Wa also resided. Frequent quarrels ensued between the new wife and this Li Wu, till finally the woman prevailed on her husband to divide the family property with his brothers and live separate from them. Amongst the effects divided was a quantity of tain, of which Li Ching-kuei obtained over a picul for his share, whilst Li Wu was only allowed three fou, it being considered that, as he was unencumbered with wife and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.