February 27-28th.—(1) A Decree, directing a number of minor officials in Kuangtung to be dismissed or degraded on account of incapacity, oppression, and other offences.
(2) Wei-ching is directed to return to Peking, and Ao-li, (BAG), Reader of the Grand Secretariat, to proceed to Tibet as Assistant Resident.
(8) The Governor of Yunnan, in obed. ence to a Decree dated August 26th 1881, submits his report on the lekin collectorates in his province. Following the representation of the committee of the head lekin collectorate, he shows at the outset some seventy it nan, ti mber not being deemed excess. sive considering the vast extent and difficult nature of the country. During subsoquent years frequent instructions were received to inquire into the working of the collectorates, and abolish such as were oppressive to the people and of no real benefit tothe revenue, Partly on account of these instructions, and partly for local reasons, about fifty of testations have been abolished or incorporated with others, leaving only twenty-five to receive the lekin revenue from an area embracing fourteen profectures and eighty-five smaller administrative division @ receipts and disbursements each of these establishments, together with the names of the officers from time to time in charge of them, have always been embodied in the annual returns made to the Board. Memorialist submits that the lekin receipts in Yunnan are small as compared with other provinces, and the number of collectorates is barely sufficient to ensure that the tax is paid by all merchan-oise proceeding inland. The subject is one that has always engaged his careful attention, and he will in future be even more severe in enacting measures to prevent abies at the collectorates, At the same time he is of opinion that their number cannot be further reduced without detriment to the public revenue,—Rescript Noted.
(4) 'The Governor of Anhui represents that the block in his province, caused by the enormous number of ' expectants,' still continues; and prays that during the forthcoming year only the usual number of officials "belonging to the proper path' may be forwarded to him; to the exclusion of those who have obtained official rank by recommendation or purchase.—Rosoript ly—Let the Board of Civil Office take note, March 1-2nd.—(ourt Circular.) The Governor of Shuntien reports a snow-fall of over five inches in the Metropolitan District.
(1) A Decree, returning thanks: for the late fall of snow, and announcing His Majesty's intention to proceed in person to the Ta-kao Tien to offer up his acknowledgments. The various Imperial Princes and Dakes will repair to the other state temples for a similar purpose, and it is now hoped that there will be no lack of reasonable
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.