Three hundred and fifty-one gentlemen of Feng-yang and the adjoining prefectures in Anhui have presented a petition to the Governor of the province, asking him to obtain permission for them to build " temple in honour of Jen Lan-sheng, who was formerly Taotai of that part of the country. According to their statement, Jen Lan-sheng was first employed as Military retary by the distinguished Governor Ying Han, and was after appointed Taotai of the Circuit. In his earlier days he brought peace to the country by destroying number of brigands and rebel bands. Afterwards, when tranquillity had been established, he assisted the people in many ways, Thus in the year 1877, he averted a famine by the vigorous steps he took to deal with " plague of locusts which threat ened the land. Soon after came the great famine in Shansi and Honan, when he saved hundreds of thousand of lives by relieving the starving people who congregated in the country, or by finding funds to enable them to go elsewhere. When this had passed away he provided against future scarcity by storing grain and by clearing out the watercourses and reser-yairs, These stores were soon called into requisition by a waterspout in Ying-shan, when all the corn in the place was washed away, In 1883, fourteen districts in the valley of the Huai were badly 'Again he preserved. countless ing large sums and distributing stituting relief works. Nor was his power of organisation less markedly shown after the great rebellion, in spite of the difficulty of the circumstances. He rebuilt city' walls, repaired roads and bridges, restored reservoirs and dams, constructed rest houses, and established life boats and free ferries. He raised funds for colleges, bought school books, endowed free schools, and examination rooms. Hegave his attention to silk cultivation, to acci tion, to dispensaries and burial societies, besides organising charities in winter, Unfortunately he retained by mistake a clerk in his service who had been ordered to be discharged, on which account he was dismissed by th But in affectionate remembra goodness, sum was raised by public subscription, and his official rank was acquired for him again. At the time of the great Yellow River floods he ut back to Anhui to superintend the distribution of relief. Undeterred by the severity of the winter wee personally visited the suffering districts. "He distributed money, established relief works, taught the people to collect boats and build ref mounds, aiding them from public funds, and writing to Kiangsu for help from chart' able societies. But his health gave way and he died of a sickness brought on by excessive work. Although the Emperor has shown hin marked distinction gil the people, remembering his many kindnesses, Wish t9 be allowed to show their gratitude by building temples to him in the cities which were the scene of his labours. The memorialist is able to assure His Majesty of the sincerity of the affection felt for the deceased officer. But remembering that it has been forbidden to make inappropriate applications for special temples, he ventures to suggest that the Emperor might be pleased to give the deceased Taotai a plac in the temple dedicated to Ying Han, where sacrifice may be offered to him in spring and autumn by the local authorities.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.