'Taking advantage of the Decree issued two years ago, by which the High Provincial "Authorities were invited to submit recommendations in favour of officers who hud been degraded, but were thought capable of doing good' service, the Viceroy at Canton forwards a favourable account of two officials for whose capacity he can vouch by personal experience, 'The. Bret, Wang Ting-an, is a Graduate of Hupeh who was formerly' Intendant of the Chining Circuit in Shansi. After serving for many years at Nanking under Tseng Kuo-fan and Tseng Kuo ian, he was sent in 1877 to assist in the work of famine relief in Shansi, where he subsequently received the appointment which "he was, holding when he was degraded. Chang Chih-tung who denounce for embezzlement afterwards tained that he was only technically gull ity, us the money had passed through the hands of the officer in charge of the Relief Department. During the ten years which have elapsed since he was degraded Wang Ting-an has been exclusively engaged in literary work. Two years ago, Tseng Kuo-chuan employed him to write a treatise on the Salt Administra tion, of the Liang Huai area and the work is now ready for the press. Since the meraorialist entered upon his present office, he has had abundant opportunities of observing the extensive learning and zest practical Inowledge possessed by Wang ting-an, and he thinks it would be a great pity that an officer of such rare abilities should fail to obtain re-employment. The second official mentioned by the Viceroy as deserving of notice is Chi Hsii-hong, native of Hunan, who was formerly Taotai of the I-nan Circuit in Yunnan. While holding this office some three years ago he was denounced by the Governor of the province for having failed to furnish a full report of a famine which had occurred in his jurisdiction. His fault was little more thatin oversight, and should not be allowed to obliterate his past services. He made several campaigns with the memorialist during the reign of Hsien Feng and gained a reputation for military prowess, During his stay in Yunnan he served with dis-i inst local rebela and obtained entire confidence of the late Viceroy by his exertions in the work of frontier pacification. Reseript.—Let both the above officers be introduced to Us by the Board of Civil Office.
7th September.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.