(2) Li Hung-chang reports that on the 8th of August, the Pei-ho River carried away its banks for more than a thousand feot at " place called Pei-ssu Chuang, below the new works at P'ing-chia Tuan in the Tungchow District, and that the chief bod: of water is running away to the eastward. The Decree directs that the taotai in charge be deprived of his button but retained at his post, and that steps be taken as may seem best to remedy the mischief.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.