The Viceroy of Nanking has been requested by an officer named I Chih-chung to forward an application on his behalf for permission to change the second character his name, which in its present form is exactly the same us that of one of his remote ancestors. The appli is ported by the usual cert reply & rects the Beard of War to take COMMAND OF STEAM-NAVY ON YANGTZE, Since 1884 the southern division of the steam navy has been under the command of Li Cheng-mou, the Admiral of the Yangtze, The vessels composing this fleet have been required to make periodical cruises at sea for practice, but as Li Cheng-mou is also charged with the control of the naval forees on the Yangtze, he is unable to absent himself for any considerable distance from his post. Since last year he has repeatedly applied to the Viceroy at Nanking to be relieved of his duties in connection with the steam fleet, so that he might be able to give his undivided attention to the Yangtze naval forces. The Viceroy was however unable to accede to his request having no one to appoint in his place, but as Li Cheng-mou was most urgent in his importunity the Viceroy promised to relieve him vf his command as soon as he could find a successor. Chen-ti, formerly Provincial Judge of Shansi, who was recently ordered' to Kiangnan, is an old military man of exceeding' ability and memorialist has therefore placed him in charge for the present,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.