Kiangsi forwards a long report upon river conservancy in the province, and encloses 8 set of regulations which he has drawn up for controlling expenditure under this head. Bordering as it does upon the Yangtze and intersected with lakes, Kiangsi may be considered as almost one broad expanse of water. In the south there is the River Kan, and on the east the Kuang-hsin and the Jaochou Rivers, all of which empty into the Po Yang Lake. The districts which are liable to the worst floods lie along the borders of the lake or of the Yangtze, and in common with the low-lying forts of the province, they are entirely dependent upon embankments for their protection. In some places the people themselves find the funds for the maintenance of the dykes, while in others, where the work is important and the people are too poor to provide the money, the government makes advances for the purpose. Dykes of private construction are. generally rected for the purpose of enclosing ground for cultivation on the banks of rivers. In dry seasons the former reaps his crops, but in wet ones his dykes, if they are atvall weak, collapse from the pressure of the water, and their number only adds to the gravity of the disaster. The fact is that in such a dense population the margin of subsistence is so small that every inch ground is eagerly sought for. Though the government cannot well prevent the people from encroaching on the domain of the waters, it cannot, on the other hand, be expected to advance money for the construction of dykes designed for such a purpose. Two years ago the late governor proposed a scheme by which the proceeds of a fine levied upon Arrears of the land tax were to be applied towards defraying the expenses of river works, 'The measure was adopted with the two-fold object of ensuring punctual payment of the land tax and of repleni ing the provincial exchequer, but, though well conceived, it has had' the effect of making the people look to the goverment for repairing the embankments, instead of undertaking the work, as formerly, on their own account, As a matter of fact, the payment of the land tax is now made arrears does not produce more than Tis. so well up to date that the fine upon the 10,000 a year throughout: the whole province. As there are some 350 large embankments in the province and the number of applications for funds to repair them is largely on the increase, the necessity for some regulations on the subject becomes apparent. From the Provincial Treasurer and the Prefect of Nan-ch'ang, who have been inquiring into the matter, the writer learns that up to the year 1884 the water-ways of the province were in excellent condition. In that year a great flood occurred and " Joan was sanctioned to repair the damage. Repayment was to be trend over a number of years, but it was remitted altogether in 1851. Then came the rebellion with all its misery, and for ceted. Tu 1866 money wasagnin borrowed ars the embankments were totally neg-from the Government to execute repairs, and in 1868 the whole question was taken up by a member of the censorate. Liu un-i, the Governor of the province at the time, obtained estimates of the expense and got sanction for borrowing Tls. 200,000, the repayment of which was to he defrayed in the following year by an assessment upon land. A start was made with the Nan-ch'ang and Hsin-chien Districts, on which Tls. 38,000 were spent, but the work was barely completed when it was destroyed by a flood, and its restoration cost a further expenditure of Tls. 38,000 and 116,000 strings of cash. The work was then suspended and the balance of the loan was not drawn upon, Liu K'un-i making the contractors responsible for some years for keeping the embankments in proper repair. From 1875 to 1877 loans to the extent of Tls. 74,000 were issued for the purpose, and in 1883 and 1886 Tls. 121,000 were again borrowed. In fact, since 1862 there has been a continual succession of loans, some of which have been charged to the public account, some remitted, but none of which have ever been repaid.' The gentry and people of Kiangsi have grown confirmed in the habit of borrowing without repaying, and to put an end to this state of things the following regulations have been drawn up for observance in future 1,—Districts which have hitherto been entitled to loans for public works will in the 10th month of each year, in ordinary years, furnish the provincial treasurer with Statements of the work they wish to have formed. If the application is found to genuine, a sum proportionate to the extent of the work will be allotted for its execution from one-half of the amount realized by the proceeds of the fine levied on arrears of land tax.
2,—The remaining half of the above sum shall be deposited in the treasury and be applied to meet cases of emergency in years of exceptional floods. Should it prove insufficient, it will be supplemented by loans from the treasury, repayment of which will, as before, be spread over a number of years.
3.—No applications for loans will be entertained in the case of disused embankments in low-lying lands or of embankments, the repairs of which have hitherto been d frayed by the people or from fund derived from other sources.
4.—Should embarkments that have been repaired and guaranteed to last fora number of years become dilapidated within the specified period, the gentry and people who were entrusted with the management of the funds will be held responsible for their restoration.
CREAT STORM 18 SHENSI, August Ist.—(1) The Governor of Shensi reports the occurrencojon the 2nd of June of a violent, storm, accompanied by rain and hail, which did' great injury to life and property in three distits of the provine, Ch'ang-wu seven parishes were visited by the storm, and 80 or 90 per cent. of the crops over an extent of 105 ching of land were destroyed by the hail. In Lo-nan the extent of the damage has not yet been accurately ascertained, but from the reports received up to date it appears that forty houses were blown down, that thirteen people were drowned, and' that the crops on 4 cliting of land were destroyed. In Lung-chou four villages suffered from the hail; the early crops were uninjured, but of the late ones, some 10 to 40 per cent. were ruined. Lists of the sufferers are being made out, and they will be assisted in various ways, cither by money or grants of grain from the public granaries, or such other relief as may enable them to rebuild their houses and bury the victims of the disaster. As soon as full particulars are received, a further report will be submitted as to the expediency of remitting the land tax in the districts that have suffered; and, in the meantime, the postponement of its collection will be notified by proclamation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.