Li Han-chang reports that his predecessor Chang Chih-tung, in view of the long extended line of coast. at Kiungchow, proposed with the Imperial sanction to defend it by an "artillery embankment" some 20 li long and made arrangements for the purchase of 102 74-centimetre guns.
Phese guns, which ordered from Krupp, have now been delivered at Canton and been inspected by memorialist, who hus found them to be of excellent workmanship with their ammunition all complete. But while in every respect admirably adapted for army out a campaign they ae aot suitable for the Canton province.—The climate of that province 1s extraordinarily damp, and in Kiungchow there is added to th damp the pest of white ants whi anything and everything and would in a very short time play havoc with the gun-carriages and leather cushions. There is also the danger of the guns themselves being destroyed by rust.
Another drawback is the hilly nature of the province which would prevent then being rapidly moved from place to place. The coast ab Kiungchow moreover consists for the greater part of wet sand in which the wheels of the gun-carriages would easily sink, and it has also been discovered that the guns are too long to be conveniently turned on the embankment. Lastly the province does not produce either horses or the forage for feeding horses, and even were horses to be imported from Kusngsi and Kueichow they would all be small animals quite unequal to the task of dragging such heavy gun:
On these several grounds the fore me-monalist would hardly feel justified in retaining artillery which had been proved unsuitable for use in his province, but would suggest that the guns be transferred to Chilli and the three eastern provinces where the ground would be suitable for them and where horses are to be had in plenty.
He hias conferred with Li Hung-chang onthe matter and the latter concurs with him in thinking that such would be the dest course to adopt. Their cost would in the meantime be defrayed by the Kuan tung province, but should later on Chilli be able to repay the fact can be again reported.—Reyuest granted.
17th August.
{No documents of interest.
18th August.
auscoxpvcr oF a cRapvare.
Fu-lo-ming-é, Lieutenant-Governor of Li-I reports the following case. In the 4th year of Kwang Hsit Li-l, a chifjen who had been deprived of his rank, together with a captain' who has since' been dismissed the service, Ting Wan-chun, skulking in the neighbourhood of Tientsin where they forged the visiting card of a Peking oficial, and on the' strength thereof wrote letters extorting money. 'The drafts of these letters and the wooden {stamp used for printing the cards were discovered in Ting's house, and the Viceroy at once applied for' permission to degradethese two individuals, and Li-T was forced to execute a bond whereby he bound himself to xt once return to his home at Chinshuihsien, Hupeh. In the 10th year of Kuang Hosit he secretly made his way into Ili and offered his services to Chin Shun, the then Governor, who ignorant. of his tecodents acco Shortly after-urely several of his misdeeds coming to ight he was summarily expelled. When a year Inter Hsi Lun took over the acting "pointment of Governor, he again ettected entrance into the yanén in the capacity of Secretary Such power as he had he shamefully abused, accepting bribes and confounding right and wrong in such a way ax to make grind their teeth with rage.
ug discovered he was second issly expelled, but to the surprise of all his powers of intrigue were so great that he succeeded in persuading the intimate friends of Hsi Lun to get him reinstated in his old post, where by virtue of ul made himself almost indis he result, was disastrous, ay the greater his knowledge the greater was his power of doing hand, and ruin overtook all who ventured in any way to eross his path. When Hsi Lun was so seriously ill he eventually obtained trol ul there is length to On king over charge he incited the tree tw such an extent that they almost broke open revolt. His share in the matter howe leaked out, and when ug-o came to look for him with a view to punishing him he had already withdrawn to the Ch'ingshuiho district. Such outrageous conduct as his must not for one moment be tolerated, and the Suiting District Magistrate has received strict orders to immediately effect his arrest and have him transported in irons to his native place. Memorialist would further request that the Governor of Hupeh be directed to have a most careful watch kept over him there, in order to prevent his again breaking out.
19th August.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.