The Viceroy of the Two Kuang sts tes that he has received a communication € rom Wen Tzu-shao, the director of the tory edo establishment at Canton, respecting the services rendered by Lieutenant Wei € hén-sheng in connection with the were k of the British steamer Paladin, which took place off the south coast of Haina n in October, 1882. Wei Chen-sheng was at that time in' command of the gw boat Suitsing, and having been despa tehed to the south of the island in conin ection with a rising amongst the Li tribe, he encountered a violent typhoon during which he descried in the distance a vessel' which had run upon the Paracels and ay peared to be in a sinking condition. The commandant at once manned his boal s, and braving the fury of the elements wen t to the rescue of the distressed ship. Alt together he succeeded in saving fifty persu us, two of whom were foreigners. The incident was duly tries to the Taotai at Kiungchow who addressed a letter on the. subject to the British Consul at Hoihow. The Consul took charge of the mem and had them forwarded to Hongkong. Wen Tait. shao, in bringing the matter to the notice of the Viceroy, remarks that officers who have been instrumental in saving life at sea are entitled to rewards on a very liberal scale, and he expresses " hope that the intrepid conduct of Lieutenant Wei Chen-sheng in rescuing the crew and passengers' of the Paladin may receive appropriate recognition. In submitting a report of the case to the Throne, the Viceroy states that Mr. Hewlett, the British Consul at Canton, addressed a communication on the subject in November, 1882 to the late Viceroy, TséngKuo-ch'tian, who also received a report from the Taotai at Kiungchow. Under what are known as "The Salvage Regulations" promulgated some years ago by the Tsungli Yamen, officers who may have succeeded in rescuing thirty or more persons from a Chinese or foreign vessel in distress are entitled to rewards on an exceptionally liberal scale. Lietitenant Wei saved, on the occasion referred to, the lives of fifty persons and has fully qualitied for the rewards promised by the regulations. The Viceroy therefore suggests that he should be raised to the position of second captain, and given the brevet rank of first captain. A full report of the case has been forwarded to the Tsungli Yamen, and a list of Lieutenant Wei's past services has been furnished to the Board concerned.—Kescript: Let it be as requested: the Yamen concerned will take note.
10th January.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.