This day's Gazette is remarkable from the number of memorials which it contains reporting to the Emperor gifts made for charitable purposes.
The greater part of these memorials are presented by the Governor of Shantung, who records no less than ten donations, each of one thousand taels in money or of clothes valued at the same sum, The donors are persons of official rank in various parts of the Empire, and the object of their benevolence is the relief of the distress caused by the Yellow River floods. They all represent themselves as acting in accordance with the wishes of one or both of their parents, in whose honour the Emperor consequently sanctions the erection of a memorial arch, One gentleman, a Prefect in Kuangsi, presents a sum of Tls. 3,000, also for the Shantung sufferers. This gifts represented as coming from himself; and he is rewarded by advancement to the third grade.
The Viceroy at Wuchang reports a donation of a thousand taels made by an official in retirement towards the cost of the repair of the Yangtze embankment at Hanyang. The contribution being made at the wish of the officer's parents, he be allowed to erect a memorial arch in thei honour.
TEMPLE TO SOLDIERS OF THE TAITING WARS. st Hanyang in Hupeh, hee represented. to General Sung Té-hung, who is stationed
the Viceroy Li Hung-chang that in the year 1861 he was placed in command of a newly raised regiment which saw extremely hard service against the Taipings in the the Nien Fel rebela in the northern pro-Shanghai campaigns, and afterwards against vines. His men took part in several hundred fights and in the capture of numerous cities. Their most distinguished exploit was during the assault on Changchow fu, when they built bridge under heavy fire from the city walls. The workers were struck down in crowds, but, as fast as they fell, others gallantly stepped forwards to take their places. The bridge was built, and the city stormed. Their next greatest feat was in Chibli in 1868, when they carried on a desperate combat through the day and night, the men continuing to fight and pressing the foe though covered with wounds, No rewards were ever asked for the icestof the regiment, because the muster lost in camp." Many more of the officers and men have since died of disease or from their old wounds without the receipt of any recognition. The General now proposes to build a temple to their memory outside the gates of Hanyang, and begs that the customary services may be formed there by the local authorities. he Viceroy Li bears witness to the valorous deeds of the regiment in question. They were performed, he says, under his own eyes. He quotes precedents showing that the favour now requested has been granted in the ease of other troops engaged in the same campaigns: and he prays that the General's request may similarly be granted.—Approved.
GIFTS To AMOUNT OF TEN THOUSAND TAELS.
As appears from a report presented by the Governor of Honan, the Chief Justice of that province, Chia Chih-en, has recently presented Tls. 5,000 for the relief of distress in Shantung, and has now just given a similar sum for the benefit of the sufferers in Kiangsu and Chekiang. He has displayed this generosity in the hopes that others may follow his example, and he does not desire that any reward should be asked for him. The Governor thinks however that such beneficence ought to be made known to His Majesty, who perhaps may desire to take favourable notice of it.—Referred to Board of Revenue.
20th February.
HUAIAN CUSTOMS, DEFICIENT RECEIPTS, The Huaian Superintendent of Customs was instructed at the beginning of last year to supply the Imperial Household with the sum of Tls. 30,000 from the revenue collected by his office; one half of the amount was to be sent in the summer and the other in the winter. The receipts of the Cuistom house were very small last year, says the Superintendent, owing to the bad harvests. The spring crops were injured by drought, and the autumn ones ruined by rain. He has with difficulty collected enough money for the first instalment, and has duly forwarded the same. As he is really unable as yet to pay the second one, he begs that he may BY allowed further
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.