monalist some time since reported to His Majesty that experimental mining operations for coal and iron had been set un four at K'ai-ping, and that he had directed the jen tsin Customs Taotai and Tfang Taotai to exercise a joint superintendence over t work. Foreign appliances are now made use of to extract the coal, and the output of the colliery for the last few years has been very considerable. As it is now i contemplation tu construct various appliances for coast defence, and large quanti ties of coal and iron are required for the use of the arsenals and the newly-arrived gunboats, it is proposed, in view of the great benefit that has been derived from the opening of the oval mines, to e"mmence the working of the adjacent iron mines. With this object in view 'T'ang Tavtai was directed to survey the neighbourhood of Ch'ing-liang Shan in Chie Hsien, and Ma-tzu Kou and Feng-shan in the Ch'en-chia hills forming part of the jurisdiction of Luan Chou. In all of these places he fonnd rich indications of iron, a hundred piculs of which were collected and despatched to England to be tested there. Should the metal prove to be good quality, mining operations, on a limited scale at t, will be commenced next spring, As it will be necessary for a competent officer to be constantly on the spot to superintend the work, and Tang Taotai will be prevented by his duties in connection with the China Merchants' S.S.N. Company from bestowing due attention on the undertaking, Memorialist begs to recommend for the appointment Wu Chih-ch'ang, a native of Kuangtung and an expectant Prefect, whose acquaintance with Western longue ages, combined with an exceptional knowledge of mining processes, sufficiently justify the selection, December 31st.—(1) Chu L-tseng (AREY, JG is appointed Civil Vice-Governor and Provincial Literary Examiner of Feng-tien, (2) A Decree with reference to a proposal of the Censor Chang Tao-yuan that no recommendations of high officials for post humous distinctions be made to Hi Majesty after a period of ten years dating from the death of such officials. The suggestion of the Censor will not be sanctioned, but the Provincial Governments are directed in future to exercise greater caution in this matter, and to recommend no deceased oficial for distinction unless there exist a strong and unanimous feeling as to his merits throughout the province, (8) Huang Ti-fang (PO ASFF) iso pointed Chief Supervisor of Lustruction, (4) Li Hung-chang prays that he may be allowed tu expend is, 33,700 in the purchase of 2,400,000 bundles of kaoliang straw, to be used next year for the purpose of repairing the banks of the Yung-ting River.—Granted by Rescript.
(5) The same officer reports that this autainn's harvest was plentiful throughout Chihli, and that there is little or no di tress prevailing in any part of the provine There were two falls of snow during November, and the crops already sown derived much benefit from the moisture thus obtained. Memorialist has made all the necessary arrangements for the protect tion of the province during the winter, and the early commencement of the river works in the spring. The Pei Ho being now frozen over, he proposes to start on the 12th instant for Pao-ting Fa, where he will spend the winter.
(G) Memorial from Ting Pao-cher Governor-General of Szechten, askin permission to call upon the provincials for voluntary subscription towards the expenses of the provincial government during the coming year. Memorialist observes that Szechuen is yearly called upon to contribute large suis towards the support of troops in other provinces, whilst at the same w the sources of i the province are yraduaily dimi He takes as an instance the fact that considerable suis were formerly collected at the Customs and lekin barriers, but of late there has been a heavy falling off in the receipts, owing to the issue at chang and Hankow of transit passes which free the goods from the charges in question. The provincial resources have been for many years supplemented by an annual contribution, which has always been willingly sid by' the people. It is therefore proposed that, as the taxes in Szechuen are light, and the harvest this year has been' satisfactory, recourse be again The well-to-do will be invited to contribute according to their means, but no pressure will be applied in any case. Should the wey subscribed by those in moderate nstauces not be sufficient to entitle vidual subscribers to some mark of Imperial approbation, Memorialist proposes to petition His Majesty to grant an extra
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.