November 24th,—(1) A Decree arden the issue of 800 piculs of grain to the gruel kitchens opened in Tung Chow fur the elivf of the poor, point Tao-t'ai of Formosa, with brevet rank of Provincial Judge.
(8) A Memorial from the Gorernor-General of Shensi and Kansu reporting a case of homicide under the fellowing circumstances One Ssu Kuo-chu, a native of Ch'éug in the sub-prefecture of Ku-vii Chou, had been a major in the ari had earned by a series of disti guished services; but he retired ten years ago to his place of domicile and took to farming, A certain distant relative of is, Ssu Chia-wu by name, used to frequent his house and was intimate enough for Ssu Kuo-chu's wife not to withdraw when he appeared. About two years agu, Ssu Chia-wu called at the house about dusk, when he found Madam Ssu si alone upon the Kang, her husband being in the stable yard feeding the hor u Chia-wu sat down by Madam Su's side upon the kung and pressed her hand, while he made adulterous proposals to her. Madam Ssu objected, and loudly abused him, attracting the attention of her husband, the Major, who came in and found Ssu Chia-wu preparing for a run, He tried to stop him, whereupon Ssu Chia-wa hit the dlajor with his fist. The Major than a wooden roll in Tying clos and struck Ssu Chia-wu over the head with it, whereupon Ssu Chia-wu butted at the Major with his head, and determined to Gglit it out to the death, The Major avoided the rush by stepping aside, and once more brought the rolling-pin down upon Ssu Chia-wu, The latter then drew his knife and stabbed the Major in the back, whereupon the Major snatched the knife from Ssu Chia-wu and stabbed him in the spleen as he was stopping to pick up the rolling-pin, and he fell to th and died forthwith, The Major the body and threw it down a disused well.
The lays down that when a husband kil man who has been guilty of the offence of attempted adultery, he shall be subject to the penalty for unauthorised murder of a person guilty of a criminal act, which is death by strangulation after the usual term of Ssu Kuo-chu accord by strangulation. who neglected to discov of the homicide is sentenced to eighty blows, which is the punishment for misdemeanour, but he will be absolved from the infliction of the penalty by the Act of Grace of this year.
November 25tl.—(1) Decree. Some time since Lin Ao, Taotai of Tésiwan, was denounced to the Throne being charged with covetousness, turpitude, trickery deceit and numerous evil ways, We thereupon directed that the said ficer should be cashiered and arrested for terrogation, and that his property both in his place of office and domicile should be confiscated. We further deputed special oticers, in the poraon of Hsi Chen and Wei Jung-kuang, to go to the spot and enquire into and deal with the matter, 088 officers have now ascertained the facts of the case and laid them before the Throne. the various charg irregul connection with the salt ad ministration and mining matters, witnesses were examined by the Commissioners papers scrutinized, and the canel come to was that while many matters had been badly managed there was no actual embezzlement perpetrated, nor was the Taotai in collusion with others for the commission of fraud, They found, however, that there is no record of his having reported the fact that General Kao Téngwu, now cashiered, had paid into the Taotai's yamen the sum of Tls. 11,600 odd, or that he hed appropriated Tls. 4,500 from the grant for camp followers for expenditure in the form of gratuities Further, that he charged more th
troops enlisted by his sou Liu Chi-nan in excess of what was actually expended.
Tue said ex-Tavtai carnot, therefore, exculpate himself from the penalty Jaid down for robbery of public funds by the officer who superintends the administration of them, and We hereby command that Liu Ao be sentenced, as proposed, to death after the usual term of he G forthwith dept to the Board of Punish ment. A limit of time will be fixed for the recovery from him of the amount of his defalcations which is not covered by his confiscated property.
Tue Decree then goes on to comment upon the imperfect summary of the evidence of one Heiieh Shu-hua farnished in the report, that gave $10,000 to whether or no the latter pa Liu Ao he could not say. Also to the nent of one Wang Ch'ing-yirn and that $25,000 were annually paid into the Taotai's yawn og fees in connection with the likin on foreign opium, The Commissioners have dismissed these matters unnecessary of consideration, as there is no evidence to go upon, This, however, cannot be allowed, and the Board of Punishments are called upon to go carefully into the matter as soon as all the documents in this case are before them, General Kuo Teng-vit, already cashiered, is banished into servitude on the military post roads for his complicity in the frauds of Liu Ao, which he countenanced by isauing receipts for payments which had nut been actually made.
A sub-prefect called Hu Prei-tzd, who connived at the Tao-tar's frauds well knowing of their perpetration, la diswiased the public service in perpetuity, to be driven back " tu his plac dle, A certain Colonel called Chang Fur 'eng, who has byenmany years in Furmons, boars an indifferent reputation, is alay dismissed the public service, (2) A Decree expressing the Imperial regrets at the announcement of the death of Li Tsung-hai, formerly Governor-General at Nank A Decres ackuowled; of a Memorial from Hsti Chih-hai any, Ssu ug, the receipt Director of tine Court of Sacrificial Worship, calling attention to the annually increasing havoc wrought by the Yellow River in Shantuog and urging the necessity of the embankments in w state of ey, while united efforts wre made for clearing the channel and giving the waters free access to the sea, He suggests that fands should be collected in aid ut thia reposals are to receive the due sideration of the Board. His further suggestion that orders should be issued for the recommendation of any pet officer with a thorough knowledge of riverine matters is not wanting in perception, and igh officials, metropolitan or provincial, called upon {0 recommend any such officers that they can apeak positively about.
(4) A Deere ig th tion of addition enclosure in Peking, the present number being insufficient for the accommodation of candidates.
'The Governor of Shun-tien is to inspect the place in concert with the various Boards concerned, and to furnish a report to the Throne as' to the action it la pro posed to take.
(8) A sub-Memorial from the Imperial Agent at Urya.
The Memorialist would further report that no rain lad fallen at Urge this year nearly up to the time of the summer solstice, and the vegetation, though some had sprouted, was all no parched and yellow that a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.