Shao Vu-lien would respectfully call attention to the fact that while the duties that fall to his lot as Governor of Formosa are arduous and of great importance, his personal ability is of no very high order, so that day and night he is in a state of fear lest he should prove unequal to the task of administering the multifarious affairs, of that solitary isle of the sea, When as is the case with a newly established. province there are many matters to look after, it ix very essential that the talent employed should be the best obtainable, but as regards Formosa it is extremely difficult to yet men to go there. The Fukien Provincial Establish-meat is supposed to supply candidates for the vacancies as they occur, but it almost invariably happens that the ood. men shuffle out-of it and the result is thet nothin but the rift-raff and loafers can be indue to fnce the distant journey across the sea and the trying climate, For these reasons memorialist would. venture to submit. the names of six otficers: at present serving in provinces on the v, ainland who are known to him to be geod, capable men, with a request that the necessary instructions be issued ordering, them to Formosa to lend him their-uss' <tanoe in'his difficult task: Their names are Ku Chao-hi, late Salt Taotai, Shansi, Chiang Ssu-tung, a Aphui Expectant Prefect, Hu Ch*un-chih, an expectant " Department Magistrate attached to the K kiangsu establishment, Wang: Yeh L-sh en, expectant Magistrates of th same py covinee, and Teng Chia-chen, an officer "of the same rank in Kueichow.
25th October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.