December 4th.—(1) In the last month of each year the Board of Revenue fixes the amount of the contributions which the various provinces are required to forward to Peking during the ensuing year. The provinces receive their instructions on the subject through the Grand Council, and the total amount is sent in instalments spread over the year. During'the present year the Salt Revenue of Kuangtung was assessed at Tls. 200,000 for the Peking subsidy, and it had to furnish a further sum of Tls. 50,000 to meet the ex] of the Imperial Household. There being a difficulty about forwarding specie from Canton, permission was given to remit the amount in bills. instalments, amounting to Tls. 100,000, have been already forwarded on account of the above two items, and the Viceroy now reports the transmission of Tls. 60,000, being the fourth and last instalment, together with Tls. 1,800 to cover loss by exchange, cost of porterage, maintenance allowance, and other expenses.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.