Tisichow, which lies alo the coast of Chekiang and is backed by a range of hills, has always constituted a noted stronghold for lawless characters of all kinds, and it has ever been the special care of memorialist and his predecessors to issue stringent orders for their suppression. It would appear however that no matter how many are put to death there are always others to take their place and the number still at'large is very considerable. During the 3rd moon of the present year they began to create disturbances in the. conterminous districts of Huangyen and Hsienchii in T'aichow and Yungehia and Lech'ing in Wenchow. Yang Ch'i-chen, the brigade-general sta-timed at Haimen under whose control the districts in question are placed, immediately proceeded in person with a' considerable portion of his troops to maintain order.
famine tu jen, a noted pirate of many years standing at once seized this opportunity of raising 3 band to harass the northern part of Taichow which had been temporary denuded of troops. On learning this Yang despatched troops to check his movements, and these troops fell in with the pirates on the 18th of May defeating, them entirely and driving them to their boats, In two or three days' time Yang's officers got together some war junks and proceeded in quest of the pirates, The latter who had several ships came out to meet them and for the space of four hours kept up a hot fire until eventually they were led and utterly routed. Their leader was slain and two of their ships and a quantity of guns and ammunition captured.' "The corpse of the leader has been beheaded and the head will be exposed as a warning to others, Under ordinary circumstances, as_ the arrest and suppression of pirates' is one of the regular duties of the civil and military officials, memorialist would hardly venture to ask that any special notice be taken of services of this nature, but in the present instance those concerned appear to have conducted themselves so creditably that he feels constrained to ask for permission to be allowed to draw up alist recommending the more deserving for promotion,-~Request granted.
27th September.
No documents of interest.
28th September.
CHARGE OF ABDUCTION, Changking reports that some five years ago The acting department magistrate of
Chang Ch'ian-sheng, a captain in the troops attached to the Governor-General's command, adopted the daughter of a relative of his named Hsii but after keeping her for several months sent her back home, In the 8th moon of Kuang Hsit XV he again zat the girl to go to his house and prevented er return, Hesii then lodged a complaint. with the magistrate who called on Chang's superior officers to compel him to restore the girl'to her parents. Chang, however, delayed doing so and it now appears that he has secretly decamped. Memorialist would accordingly request permission to'at once degrade the officer in question in order that immediate steps may be taken to effect his arrest and put him on trial.
29th September.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.