October 3rd.—Tu Tsung-ving reports floods in the Districts of Lo-tien and Mien-yang in Hupei.
(1) Memorial from Lin Chin-tang, questing that the Hami, the Chen-ti Circuit, and the Civil jurisdictions which it is proposed to establish in the Southern Circuit (Kashyaria), be included in the province of Kansuh. The Momo "qitoted the proposal made by T'so Tsung-tang in 1880, that Hami and the Chen-ti Circuit should be entrusted to the Mi Comptroller, -and that the Gove: General of Shen-kan need not exercise jurisdiction over them, and observes that thus the idea of constituting the New Dominion as a separate province was mooted by Tso T'sung-tang. The same step was advocated in the third moon of the present year by T'an Chung-lin, who proposed to follow up the establishment of subordinate officers by the appoint ment of a Governor-General and Governor. list objects to both proposals, admitting that their purpose is to obtain a stable administration of the New Dominion, a region important: as a screen to Kansuh, and a hedge to the Capital. The introduction of a civil administration is indeed indispensable; s0 far the Memorialist agrees with Tso Tsung-tang. But the total number of departments and districts, including the proposed addition, in Hami and tt uth Circuit is only a score or s0 5 and it is not likely that this umber will be largely increased even allowing for the future growth of the resources and the population, Tso Teung-tang himself rec-kous the departments, etc., at only twenty or thirty. Now in Kueichou and Kuang-i even, there are more than twice this number of districts. The defence of frontier would likewise be rendered inefiicient, if a separate corner of the Empire was thus made a province. Tso Tsungtfang's own successes were gained because he was Governor-General of Shen-kan; and the Memorialist, far inferior as he is to that high officer in ability, energy, power, and fame, has succeeded in holding his post without disastrous errors only by the support of T'an Chung-lin and Yang Ch'ang-chun. The expenses of the trot port of pay, arms, ete., would be increased and the Inbour doubled, if the accounts of the new Dominion were, as they would have to be, kept separate from those of Kaneuh. an Chung-lin's proposal to Bouthern Gireult under the Semorialist Jace Hami, the Chen-ti Cironit and the is objected to becani tary Comptroller and. because unskilled ration, nor sre civilian officials forthcoming from among la suldiory. he Memorialist, therefore, that Hami, the Chen-ti Circuit, Southern Gircuit be But, lest the power of the Governor-General be ineffective in those remote regions, he further advocates the appointment of a Governor to reside at rumts'i, for whom he requests President of the B may have control over the forces of the whole region, and superintend the defence of the frontier. Further, a Financial Commissioner should be stationed at the same place as the Governor; the Intendant of Chén-ti should be given rank as Financial Commissioner, as is the case with the Intendant of Taiwan, and attend to criminal and transport matter; the Department Magistrate of Ti-hua should be made a District Magi trate; and a prefecture of Ti-hua founds Th has boon restored, and, the fron being undisturbed, the post of comptroller may be abolished on the appointment of a Governor. The Memorialist prop give up his seal of office after explaining the state of the region to thie new Governor, and, when sufficiently recovered of his malady, return to Peking. ication of th h soldier is quite unfitted. It is for this reason, and not from any desire to shirk his duties, that the Memorialist makes these proposals.
October 4thi.—(1) Memorial from Chang-yao, Assistant Military Comptroller of the New Dominion, stating his views on the military measures necessary in that region. The first requisite in the settlement of the country is, in the Memorialist's opinion, the abolition of the irregular forces, the restoration of the regular army, and the reform of its constitution. This change is intimately connected with the permanent defence of the frontier. It seems to the Memorialist that, the supply of soldiers for the New Dominion from Kansuh having been stopped on the application of Yang Ch'ang-chun, there are three reforms in the army required. These are, firstly, 19 inerase of the cavalry, for the manceuvres of which the fiat country in which the cities of the New Dominion lie is well adapted; secondly, that greater importance be attached to arming the men with firearms, which are superior to other arms, and are constantly being improved, so that foreign ships carry few men and depend on the excellence of their ordinance, which is purchased with the money saved from the pay of the sailors; thirdly, the con-contration of the forces in one spot, from which they can fly to the rescue of any city' which is in peril. The addiers of this force will be kept highly efficient, will be stationed in a central position, and placed under a skilled military officer of of high rank.
As to reforms in the constitution of the army, these are solely for the purpose of increasing the power of the forces. Liu Chin-tfang has already proposed to form the regular forces out of those of the irregulars who are strong and inured to hardship, changing their pay into garrison rations, Among. the irregulars are some who belong to Kansuh or.Shénsi, and have gone to the New Dominion as being near and similar in climate to their homes; there are others belonging to the eastern provinces, who, having been carried off by the rebels at an -early age, have finally drifted into the army, and are quite ignorant of their homes, their families, or their clans; others lost homo and family' in the trouble of the Bobellion and cannot return; and others, again, got into trouble with their noighhours during the disturbances, and gladly adopted another home, and would be All' these classes of will be ready for lifelong fighting, "dso make the army officiont,-while the tem of cultivation of land by them in common will supply: at once the soldiers necessary and the food for them. Moreover, for every efficient soldier added to the forces in the New Dominion there is one roving ' brave" the less in Kansuh 5 thus endless trouble will bly arrested. The firat requisite for the frontier important points la the organization of the army. A powerful army means a a aafo frontier moans peace for the people; peace for the people means regular administration.
(2) Memorial from Pao-yun, Grand Se. retary superintending the Board of Ci Office, req: g that of degradation two as a private [f4] punishment, cannot be taken from the honor at oredit), to another p 7 ps to his
be inflicted on Tedng Kuo-chian for his wrongful recommendation of Wang Ting-an, the notorious Intendant in Shansi during the Famine. (See Decteo in Gazette of 3rd September.)
(3) Lin Chao-yuan reports that the father of Hsti Kuo-jung, Magistrate of An-ping, has now reached his hundredth year, having been born in the 48th year of Kienlung. He has two sons, one grandson, and one great-great grandson. Tonly his good hap must be founded in his virtue, and his happiness must be due to his peaceful nature. A button has already been bestowed on him, and now an Honorary Portal is requested.—Rescript: Let the Board of Rites take note.
October 5th.—(1 and 2) Decrees appoint-Hsii Chen-wei Intendant of the Hopei Circuit in Bevan, and Ch'ung-hsi to fill the vacancy caused by the selection of an Intendant to succeed to the charge of the Lei-chiung Circuit in Kuangtung.
(8) A Decree ordering the Prince of Tun and Wong T'ung-ho, Pzesident of the Board of Works, to simon before them the Censor, Hung Liang-pain, who has accused Ching-lien and Wang Wen-shao of receiving over 10,000 taels each asa bribe in the Yionan accounts cage, and to elicit the proofs on which he relied in denouncing high officials.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.