Lung Shih-ching, the official writer who drew up the draft of a memorial by which it was hoped that money would be extorted from Kuniyinpu, to military labour on the post roads, Gh'ing-liang, the officer of the Imperial guards who delivered the any tous document and has already been dismissed from office, is to retire to his native place and be there placed under the strict surveillance of his Bauner authorities. The Board of Ceremonies is directed to report on the plea of Kuniyinpu, that his conduct in marrying his grand sons durin the period of national mourning is justifies by a provision of the collected institutes of the Ch'ing dynasty, (2) Ting Pao-chien, Governor-General of Szechuen, represents that from the end of 1877 to the end of 1879, the inhabitants of eighty-six sub-Prefectural, departmental, and district towns in Szechuen contributed acme 1,445,800 taels towards the expenses of the' provincial administration.—This, added to previous contributions of a similar nature amounting to Tls. 3,961,000 odd which have not been as yet officially acknowledged, gives a total Tis, 5,407,400, and, according to the new regulations, entitles the districts in question to eighteen extra civil and eighteen extra military Iicsjen degrees at the next competition. Memorialist, after commenting on the value of such subscriptions, without which it would be impossible to carry on the provincial Government, begs, in conjunction with the Literary Chancellor, that twenty of the degrees may be thrown open for competition at the next examination, and the remaining 16 at the examination which will take place in 1885.—Reforred by Rescript-to the Board, April 9)) Lia Ting-mei, Junior Deputy Supervisor of Inatruction, prays that a strict inquiry may be held into the circumstances under which part of the Confucian Temple at Soochow was recently destroyed by fire. He observes that never yet did a fice originate without a cause, and that the statement of the custodians of the temple that it was carefully locked up and closed to visitors at the time cannot be accepted without confirmatory evidence, which is not forthcoming. In his opinion there were strangers within the bull the time, or it was used as a store for combustible materials of some sort. In any case, the custodians should be rigorously questioned and not allowed, as they wish, to take refuge in such general and flimsy pleas as that there is no clue to the origin of the fire. Memorialist would further suggest that the Temple be repaired. at once, and the expense be defrayed from money lying at the disposal of the Board of Reorganisation: he is of opinion that the plan of the Governor, who wishes to levy a general subscription for this purpose, is objectionable, both on account of the delay it would involve and the dissatisfaction it would give rise to among the provincials.—For Rescript see Gazette of '21st March, (2) Ting Pao-chen requests that Yen Huai-chu, a second secretary in the Board of Punishments, who has recently absconded from Kuei-chow with Tis, 5,700 which he had raised there by public contributions, may be at once cashiered. Strict search will be made for him and when captured, he will be tried and unsparingly sentenced.—Rescript: Let it be as requested.
April 10th.—(Abstracts of Memorials.) An application of Liu Ch'ang-yn, Governor General of Yun-kuei, to retire on the score of ill-health and desire to be near His Majesty, is disallowed.
(1) The Superintendents of Peking Customs report the seizure of a horse laden with contraband wine, and of his driver. Two other men managed to break away from the police at the time with beasts similarly laden. From the statement of the prisoner captured it appeared that the wine in question was made at Shuang Chéiao-erh outside the Tung Chih Men, and smuggled into Peking from time to time over the wall. The prisoner was engaged with a number of other drivers to it at the bottom of the wall, and con-He has been uaaded over to the Board of vey it thence to the place of sale in the city,
Punishments, and it is now requested that the Office of Gendarmerie may be called upon to speedily effect the capture of the other offenders. For Rescript, see Gazette of March 22ud. In a postactipt memorial the same officers complain that they have reason to believe that an iepaiet system: of smuggling over the wall exists in the neighbourhood of every gate. The number of men employed in this contraband traffic is so large that the police are afraid to interfere, Very serious consequences are to be apprehended from this state of things, and memorialists fear that, if it be suffete to continue, every class of criminals and every variety of contraband goods will be enabled to enter and leave Peking without impediment. They therefore pray that the Police authorities may be directed to take prompt and energetic measures to put down the abuse in question.
(2) Chang Chih-tung, the Governor of Shansi, represents that ere are still over 200 cases in province of District and Department trates who have hitherto failed to make good the public debts incurred by them whilst in office. Some of these cases have been pending for nearly twenty years, and their details are exceedingly complicated. He therefore deprecates any step calculated to increase this complication, or add to the delay of settlement; and, having lately read in the Gazette that the Governor of Anhui has applied for the services of Kao Ch'ung-chi, an expectant Taotai who was once District Magistrate of Yang-chu, he begs His Majesty to cancel the assent he gave to that application, and direct the Taotai in question to proceed to Shansi and to settle his accounts there before starting for Anhui. Granted by Rescript earlier published.
(8) The Governor of Kuangsi brings to His Majesty's notice the services rendered by the provincial troops in the suppression. of brigandage and rebellion. He speaks in high terms of the courage of the men, and the skill and integrity of their officers. They firmly refused either to give ear to to idle suspicions or to wrongfully arrest innocent persons or men who had returned. from their evil courses to an honest life. Neither did they venture on an occasion to magnify the size of an affair in order to obtain more praise for their success. Mo-monalist states that, in a little over a year, between twenty and thirty gangs of brigands have been exterminated in Kuang-ai, and he ventures to submit a list of the officers and men whose services have been most marked, that they may receive, the usual marks of Imperial approbation, "April. Lith.—(Court Circular), The authorities of the Ha t'a Men forwarded present of sea-fish for His Majesty.
(1) Shao Hsien, Treasurer of Shanti, is ordered to Peking. Fang Ta-shih, Judge of Chihli, is appointed Treasurer of Shanti. Kang-yi, Judge of Kiangei, is transferred in the same capacity to Chibli, Liu Jui-fen, Taotai of Shanghai, is appointed Judge of Kiangsi.
of the Board of War, is accorded the pri Chang Chih-wan, the new President vilege of riding within the Forbidden City.
(3) Memorial from Kuniyinpu, apprisiog His Majesty of the late attempt to extort money from him by a threat of denunciation, Neatly the whole of the memorial appeared in the answering Decree publish on 22nd March. 'The bearer of the letter, it appears, not only suggested that a present from the General would be sufficient to stay further proceedings, but indicated the source from which such present might come, viz. from the money the General had' amassed whilst commanding in-chou Fu. Memorialist, after quoting and justifying his conduct by the rales laid down in the collected Institutes, bogs to enclose for His M: informa: tion Ch'ing-liang's two cards and the draft of the memorial left at his house by that officer. He mentions in conclusion that ho is starting for his post at Hangchow on 27th March, and will await His Majesty's decision there, For the sentence passed on Ch'ing-liang see Gazette of 8th April April 12th—The whole of this da Gazette is occupied with the report the Princes and Ministers were directed to submit upon the proposals of Wen-shuo and others for the better protection of the Palace. Nearly all the matter of the present memorial has aire been published in the Gazette, having been embodied in the answering Decree of March, 25th. The various augyestions of Wen-shuo are again reproduced at length, and their adoption is in almost every case recommended; the chief exceptions being unimportant matters of detail, and, here and there, a measure of precaution which and 7th, and march 25th, April 13th.
(1) A Decree, calling upon the Governor-General of Chibli and the Goveraor of Peking for the report th wore last year directed to submit upon the best arrangements for the protection of the grounds in the neighbourhood of the Ming. bombs; Ch'eng Tuan having again complained that the illegal cultivation of land and felling of trees still continue, (2) Memorial from Ting Pao-chen praying that, as he is still required to provide heavy military subsidies for other provinces during the present year, he may be again allowed to call upon his provincials for the usual public contribution towards current expenses. He observes that the sources of income in Szechuen are now very few, owing to the fact that many requisitions for money and forced labour that used to bear heavily on the people have been abolished, The receipts from the lekin tax are disbursed paid in, and in spite of the greatest econo-on the part of the Treasury, the liabilities of the province continue to be in excess of the means wherewith to meet The people, however, having be-not a little from the recent reduction of taxation, may well be called upon to contribute from their means at this time of financial pressure; and Memorialist will, as before, maintain a constant watchfulness to guard against extortionate demands under any pretext. Rescript:—Noted.
(3) The Military Lieutenant-Governor of Urumtso'i prays that " mark of Imperial
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.