(4) Some time ago it was decided to stitute for the old fort at Huan; in Chiang-yin, on the south bank of the Yangtze, w new fort en barbelte armed with 800-pounders of the most modern type, and to remove the four 80-pounder breech-loading Krupp guns which it contained to the Ta Shih-wan fort, where four additional casements were to be constructed for their reception. The latter part of this scheme has been delayed owing to the vast work involved in the construction of the new fort, but an estimate of the cost of the alterations and additions required in the Ta Shih-wan fort has now been made, and it is found that even with the exercise of the greatest. economy a sum of Tls. 10,000 will be required for the purpose. There is 4 120-pounder frog (?) (FAH) gun stored in one of the camps, which is a powerful piece of defensive ordnance of the most excellent. workmanship; but to render it effective in. time of need, it is necessary that accuracy of aim should be acquired by frequent target practice on the river. To avoid the damage which the gun would suffer by being dragged to and fro, it is proposed to erect a battery for it in the neighbourhood, of the Ta Shih-wan fort. This will entail an expenditure of Tls. 500, which, together with the Tls. 10,000 before mentioned, will be included in the accounts for the cost of the construction of the new fort.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.