January 29th to February 1st.—(Court Circular) January 3ist, the Ist of the Ist moon of the seventh year of Kuang Hsii, The Prince of Ch'un returns thanks for a present of a purse, The Imperial Board of Astronomy report that the wind on this day was from a favourable quarter, predicting longevity and good harvests.
Audience was given to the Grand Council.
At Gam. to-morrow, His Majesty will take His seat on the Throne and partake of meat.
February 2nd.—Chih Beileh and the Grand Seoretary Shen Kuei-fen (Minister of the Tsung-li Yamen) present. their Testamentary Memorials.
(1) Pan Tsu-yin is appointed Director-General of the State Historiographer's office.
(2) Wong 'TPung-ho is appointed Chan-cello of the Imperial Academy.
(3) Wan Ch'ing-liis appointed Chancellor of the Han-lin, (4) Li Hung-tsao is appointed President of the Board of War (vice Shen chung tang, deceased.)
(6) A decree. Shen, Assistant Grand Secretary and President of the Board of War, was a man of pure character, careful in his habits, loyal, diligent, grave and upright. Commencing his career as a of the Han-lin, he rose by gradual to the grade of Vice-President of Board, and held office in the Provinces. Daring the reign of Tung Chih he was admitted into the Council of the State and was selected for the Office of President of a Board. Upon Our accession to the Throne, Wo relied greatly upon him for aid in the administration of the affairs of the Court, and in all that he undertook he showed capacity for complete devotion of mind and energy, never shrinking from trouble or pleading ill-health as an excuse for ease. Haring recently been slightly indispos We granted him congo that he might roon his health, and the sudden intelligence that he has passed away has indeed moved Us to profound grief. We command that a To lo pall be bestowed upon him, and that the Beileh Tsai Yi be sent with ten officers of Our guard this day to offer libation, As an act of special grace, the deceased officer will be advanced to the grade of Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, And will receive the posthamons marks of distinction that are bestowed by law upon Grand Secretaries, his name being entered for worship in the temple to deceased worthies. All penalties recorded ayainst is name will be cancelled, and 'Tls. 2,000, which' will be issued by the Office of the Privy Purso, are hereby bestowed upon his family to defray the expenses of the funeral arrangements. The Yamen concerned will consult the law and report to Us the nature of the compassionate rites he should receive. When his remains are conveyed to his native place, the local authorities along the line of route will pay. them due attention. Let the degree of chit jen be bestowed upon his son Shen Wer-shou, who will be permitted to join the other graduates of that class in the metropolitan examination; and upon his grandson, Shen Hsi-kuei, a yin sheng of the first grade, a Senior Secretaryship of a Board will' be bestowed, that Our sincere regard for a faithful Minister may be duly made manifest.
February 2nd and Srd.—(1) A decree ordering the transfer of a murder case from Moukden to Peking, the Board of Punishments at the latter place having reported that the officer deputed to try the case a second time, has tortured the murderer to death and sent in a false report to the effect that he died from natural causes, and it is now impossible to arrive at the real facts of the outrage, A certain Bannerman is said to have caused the death of a father and son, members of the Board of Works in Moukden, in consequence of their interference in his illicit amours, and the evidence at the first trial being conficting, a second trial was ordered, during which the accused was beaten to death.
(2) The Governor of Shun-tion Fo reports the arrest of a burglar concerned. in the robbery of a money shop in the Imperial Hunting Park outside the south Gazette of Oth Becember, 1880. The man te of Peking, that was reported in the
in question managed to escape at the time the other parties were arrested.
(8) The Tartar General at Hangchow reports the arrest of a yun chi vii, or member of the eighth grade of hereditary nobility, belonging to his garrison, who, having been cashiered for dissolute conduct had absconded. He has recently had the audacity to return to Hangchow, though the police were on his track, and took forcible possession of his wife and daughter, who were living in the house of his mother-in-law, beside robbing the property of relative, The memorialist would pray that the man, who is now in custody, may be banished to the Amoor and be put to painful and laborious duty,—Granted by decree earlier issued, February 4th and 5th.—(1) A decree, Chao Hsiang (Duke Chao, brother of the Western Empress) reports that the Treasury of the Yamen attached to the Blue Banner Corps has been broken into and robbed, one of the guard being killed by the burglars, He requests that the Iie tenant of the guards and others on duty may be handed over to the Board of Panishwents for trial, that the Secretaries may be committed to the Board for the Getermination of a penalty, and that he himself may also receive a penalty. The lieutenant and members of the guard on duty on this occasion will be cashiered and handed over to the Board of Punishments for trial; the Secretary on duty, to whose ross carelessness the theft is due, with the Colonel, Deputy Lieutenant Colonel, and Keeper of the Seals, who cannot disclaim responsibility for this theft, will be handed over to the Board for the determination of penalties, as will also Chao Hsiang. The Office of Gendarmerie, the Governor of Shun-tien Fu, and the Metropolitan Gensors will take rigorous measures to affect the arrest of, the. murderer.
(2) Postecript memorial from Tso Tsun Wang, reporting that he has appointed Wei 10, Acting Financial Commissioner a, vice Yang Ch'ang-chan, who acts as Governor-General, and Li Shen-lien as Acting Judge of the same province.
(B) The Governor of Hupeh solicits the bestowal of marke of Imperial approbation upon a filial daughter who cut, flesh. from her arm fornix with her mother's medicine, which had the effect of restoring the latter to health.—Granted by Rescript.
February 6th and 7th.—Memorials from Tso Toung-tang, Governor-General.of Shensi and Kans, which appeared in our issue of 29th March.
February 8th and 9uh,—The whole of this day's Gazette is ocoupied by a memorial from the Censor Ko Ching, exposing abuses in the Linsi-an salt trade and urgently advocating the necessity of reorganisin; the whole system. The paper is full ies and technicalities which are far from interesting.
Febraary 10th snd 11th.—(1) A decree acknowledging a report from the Tartar General and Governor-General of Szecluen, nouncing the complete suppression of a rising amongst a tribe of aborigines known as the Lu Kan, near Chan Tui-ju, in that province, who had attacked a Government stockade' in the winter of last year, and had been guilty of numerous acts of incendiarism, murder, and pillage. The disaffection was fostered by the duplicity of the chieftain, but in course of time a force was sent ayainst the savages, a number of them were captured, and three of their stockades razed to the ground, The chieftain and others escaped across the frontier into Thibet, and the Resident there is, hereby called upon to demand their immediate rendition, The promptitude of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.