Of late years, says the Emperor, public funds toa large amount have been frequently devoted to the relief of distress in Shantung. Quite recently a special appropriation was further made for the same purpose, on account of the exceptional severity of the famine now raging there. But Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, fearing that this may prove insufficient, now desires the Emperor to bestow from the privy purse a sum of one hundred thousand taels, which will be distributed through the agency of the Governor's staff.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.