(1) Wan. Kuo-pen is appointed to the Brigadier-Geveralship of the Nanao Cir-cult, Kuangtung.
(Note—This post was held by LinYung.fu the celebrated Black Plag chief of Tongling immediately after the Franco-Chinese war up to the present moment, Although ordered to go to Formosa previously to its cession to Japan, Liu did not resign his former post. The above appointment is therefore significant, meaning that Liu has been dismissed from the service,—Translator.]
(2) Ch'ung Kuang who hus been for the Chinese your just closing, in addition to his other duties, acting Lett or Senior Vice Commissioner of the Peking Octroi, Chung-won gate, reports that although he has been able to collect the prescribed annual amount of taxes in this department, he regrets that the surplus tax has not reached the prescribed sum fixed by a former Imperial edict and prays for our gracious pardon in the matter. We now command the Board of Revenue to deliberate upon the course that should be pursued by us in this case.
(3) In the case of Kang Yi who has been acting for the (Chinese) year just closing as Right or Junior Vice Commissioner of Octroi at the same gate above named, he states that both the regular as well as "surplus" taxes in his depariment during the year have reached the limit preseriyed by edict, but that as he came into office to take up the unexpired term of predecessor (dismissed for allowing his underlings to defraud the revenue.—Translater) both the regular and surplus taxes for the interval noted above did not come up to the prescribed sum and he therefore prays for the Imperial instructions. Let the Board concerned report thereon.
(4) Sung An is appointed acting Director of the Imperial Stud (Master of the Horse.)
[Note.—In ancient times when war chariots were in vogue, in addition to the regular charinteer, also an officer of high military rank anda trusty servant, it was the duly of the Master of-the Horse to be in the same war chariot as his Imperivl master and to control the evolutions of the Imperial chariot in time of battle. He also held the broad shield which protected his prince from the shafts of the enemy.—7'ranslator.)} (5) With the approach of the winter time although the Imperial prefecture has been favoured with some snow the fall has not come up to the limit which is required to enrich the soil for the husbandman's crops during the ensuing summer. The inter solstice has come and gone and yet there does not seem to be any indication of a good snowfall, whereby our Imperial anxiety is increased for the welfare of our humble subjects. We consider it necessary, therefore, that we should personally yoke the aid of the gods in all sincerity and self-deprecation for our past faults. We therefore appoint the 3rd instant as the day when we shall ourselves proceed to pray before the altar of the Most High and beseech the help of High Heaven to grant our prayer for snow.
We also command Prince Tsai Lien to worship at the Temple of the Seasons.
(7) Prince Tsai Ying shall worship at the Temple of the Manifestation, (8) Prince Tsai Shu shall worship at the Temple of Rizhteousness and (9) Prince Tsai Yun shall worship at the Temple of Consolidated Harmony; all the above named ceremonies to take place on the same day by the said Princes of the Srd Order, on our behalf.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.