(1) We have read the memorial of the Prince and Ministers composing the Ministry of War, in which it is recommended that a high officer be appointed to take charge of the construction of the railways of the country. Railways are a most important factor in the maintenance of inter-trade as well as an undertaking which "would employ. the masses of the people. In view of this, therefore, we have edded to encourage railroads, in every way, in order to make them an accomplished fact in this empire. On a recent occasion we commanded our Princes and Ministers to set about, as a commence ment, the laying of a railway in the vicinity of the capital, and the former thereupon instructed Hu Yii-fen, Provincial Judge of Kaangsi, to take charge of the survey of a proposed line between Peking and Tientsin. The report of thet said Judge is now also before us in which he states that beginning from Tientsin the line would take the route of the western banks of the Grand Canal passing northwards, crossing the Southern Parks and ending at Lukou Bridge in the western suburbs of Peking. The distance thus traversed amounts to 260 is (about 80 miles), and the estimates for laying a railway between the two points would aggregate to sume-thing like a little over tw" million four hundred thousand taels. The plan for the proposed line has also been handed to us for vue approval. In all new matters which require a beginning it is always ditticult to foretell the result; but in appointing a responsible officer to take charge of the construction of the proposed line itis important that we should have full confidence in the man. As Hu Yii-fen was the first to recommend such an undertaking and, moreover, has had the experience acquired by having been in charge of the survey of the line in question, we think it but fair that he should' be given the chance of accomplishing his scheme. He is therefore hereby appointed Director-Geveral ut Railway Construction between Tientsin and Lukou Bridge and the Board of Revenue in conjunction with the High Commissioner of the Peiyang (Wang Wen-shao, Viceroy of Chihli) is hereby commanded to furnish Hu Yi-fen with the necessary funds for the building of the proposed railroad. Again, having reference to the proposed grand trank line between Lukou Bridge and Hankow, asthe distance is comparatively great and the funds required to construct such a line will amount to an immense sum, we grant the privilege of building the line to the wealthy men and rich merchants of the various provinces, such as shall be able to show a capital ten million taels and above, in shares or otherwise, As the line will thus purely commercial affair the government officials shall not interfere either with the gains or losses of the said company. Furthermore, we promise that if the company that shall have the building of the proposed line contrive to make it a success and a substantial atfsir, we shall not hesitate to give the promoters tokens of our Imperial approbation as a mark of our appreciation of their efforts to benefit the country. Let the above decree be forthwith promulgated to all our peuple ut the capital, in the provinces and other dependencies ut the Eipire, as well ay those labouring in atler lands, (2) Appointing a number of officials to the metropolitan and provincial ad-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.