Ina sub-memorial Chang Yao states that, the upper portion of the Yellow River which flows through Chihli and Shantung had originally no regular channel. After the great breach at T'ung-wa-hsiang the waters spread in an easterly direction until they reached the Tung-o district, whence they were conducted to the sea by the Ta-ching River. At frst the course of the river was close to the Chin embankment, but subsequently it took a southerly direction which necessitated the construction of the Liu-huang line of embankment. Fora number of years past the latter structure has shown great signs of danger, and since the third ameen of the present year scarcely a day has pussed without trouble occurring somewhere Chouand Fan Hsien. ~The memorialist issited the locality in person and saw fur himself the great difficulty of providing against the danger, owing tu the loose nature of the soil, which is merely shifting sand deposited by previous foods, "On the 28th and 29th of July last the embankment at the village of Liu-liu in P'u Chou was swept away for a distance of over 60 chang by the rushing mass of water which the Ching-shui River brought down from Chihli. The overflow joined the main stream again at Chang-chuang. Any attempt at closing the breach would at present only add to the mischief, bist ate are being taken to have both the ends securely fastened, so as to prevent any further collapse," The responsible
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.