The River Sungari, says the Governor of Kirin, runs for a thousand li through the Paving on its south the cities of Petuns, ravinees of Kirin and Hei-lung Chiang,
Altchuen and Sansing in the one territory, and on its north Hulan and Payen-susu in the other. Its banks are buried in dense willow beds, and its waters wind through numerous sand banks and islands likewise covered with trees and bushes. These thickets form the haunts of robber-bands, which prey upon the merchants who travel up and down the stream in summer; and for want of a force of boats the authorities are powerless to cope with the evil. The new Governor of Hei-lung Chiang intends to take steps as soon as possible for estal lishing a fleet. The memorialist for hi has obtained from the Viceroy Li fung-chang, a copy of the regulations for the river gunboats in Chihli, and has altered them slightly so as to suit local conditions. He proposes to build and commission One large gunboat, armed with two guns, and carrying the commander of the flotilla.
Two medium-sized gunboats, each with two guns, commanded by lieutenants, Nine stall boats with one gun each, and' a non-commissioned officer, three of them being attached to each of the larger ones.
For the crews of the flotilla there will further be twelve steersman, and twelve quartermasters, thirty gunners and one hundred and eight rowers. Also one pay master, one secretary, two orderlies, al attached to the chief commander. The three divisions of the futilla will have their head quarters at Sansing, Altchuen and Petuna respectively.
Last winter two battalions of artillery were converted into cavalry. It is now Eorthe flotilla instead. This will present reposed that one battalion should be taken
no difficulty as the men are most of them southerners and accustomed to boat work. There will thus be no expense entailed by the scheme, beyond the mere cost of the boats, which will be provided from the provincial revenue. The boats will be repaired every three years and renewed every nine.—Keferred to the Board of War. 27th June.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.