Heir Apparent with brevet rank of Presi dent of une of the Six Boards, Provincial Commander-in-Chief of Yunnan and Chief in command of the Kuangtung Contingent in Kiangsu, states that during the war with Japan while at headquarters Ch'ingchou, Kuangtung, he received in November, 1894, a special edict commanding him to raise his old regiments which had served in Tongking against the French in the last war and bring them up in all haste to Kiangsu in order to resist an anticipated invasion of Japanese into the Yangtzs provinces, Upon receiving the siered edict memorialist at once ordered to be engraved a special seal fitting to his new appointment. The legend thereof was High Commissioner charged with the defence of Kiangnan and Provincial Commander-in-chief of Yunnan." Of this matter memorialist had alrendy reported to the Throne at the time. In January 1895 memorialist, then Kiangsu, received a despatch from Chang Chih-tung, acting Viceroy of the Liar Kiang, stating that in consequence of a probable peaceful solution, of the war, there would be needed only five battalions to garrison Chinkiang and requesting me-monalist to disband the rest. This was done, picked men from the whole contingent being reserved for the five battalions which were to stay in Kiangsu whilst the rest were embarked on board trans-portland conveyed to their native province of Kuangtung. Subsequently, however, memorialist received the Imperial instructions, owing to the declaration of porce, to disband the whole contingent, He has therefore embarked the remaining five battalions and sent them to Canton whil the arms and ammunition, etc., supplied the troops from the Kiangsu Ordnance Bureau have been duly returned to that office. Now as there is nothing more left for memorialist to do in Kiangsu he has destroyed the seal above noted and intends soon to resume his old post of Yunnan Provincial Cvmmander-in-Chief with headquarters at Ch'ingchou, Kuangtung (on the borders of Tongking), with special charge aver the frontiers in that section Memorialist prays his Majesty to. tal note that his duti-s in Kiangsa having been completed he will now return to the South—Rescript: Noted.
27th March, IMPERIAL DECREES, (1) Wu Ting-fen, " member of the Tsungli Yamen, recommends the following to the attention of the Throne.
ien Chih-cheng (Commissioner of the Military err and Huang Oh'eng-yi former Shanghai M-xed Court' magistr"te uring Con-ul Giles' time 1884-6, a dispute between the two at that time causing both to retire, the one from the magistracy and the latter frou the assessorship) both expectant Taotais of Kiangsu; Wang Hung-ting, expectant prefect of Hupeh; Ho En-huang, expectant magistrate of Anhui, Ts'ao Ying. expectant magistrate of the fourth class, All the above officials are guaranteed to be men of ability and worth, Let the Governors of Kiangsu, Anhui and Hupeh, therefore, send these proteges of Wu Ting-fen up to Peking for a special audience with us.
(2) Hsi T'ung is hereby appointed Taotai of the Ténglaich'ing Intendancy of Shantung (Chefoo Taotaiship).
(3) Jui Hsin, Vice-President of the Imperial Academy, recommends that the manner of choosing Manchu Censors hitherto followed be changed to the same regulations as those obtaining amongst Chinese Censors, ete.—Keseript: Let the Bourd of Cicil Appointments report thereon.
28th March.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.