May 3ist,—(1) It appears that the high authorities of Hunan are bound to send annually to Peking " supply of timber for the use of the government. In 1874 orders were sent to Hunan to forward the instalment for 1873, and in 1886 the governor was reminded that he had not yot reported the departure of the said instalment. The governor now states that he has made en-
timber should be procured yearly, for which ures and finds that a certain quantity of ment to the amount of Ts, 3,900 may vdedueted from the land tax, and that it should be sent free of charge by the Grund Canal to Peking. Owing to. the Taiping rebellion and the silting up of the Grand Canal no consignments were sent for from Beking to recommence the practice. many In 1872 orders were issued
In consequence ofthe difficulty of procuring and forwarding the timber, the provincial government requested to be allowed instead to send silver to twice the value of the wood. To this proposal the Board of Works would not accede. Accordingly, in 1874 annual allowance of Tls. 80 to be taken the proper quantity of timber' was pur-froM the lekin on horses and tea.—Granted chased, but it was never forwarded, be-by Rescript. cause the rafts could not go through the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.