at Canton, Chang Chih-tung obtained permission' to have eight men-of-war of foreign type built for him at the Foochow Arsenal.
One of these was constructed, the Kuangchia, and after a good deal of alteration was sent north to be drilled with the fleet. A second, the Kuanskeng, was also built, but, not being adapted for going out to sea, was retained for service in Kuangtung. OF four others the construction was postponed by the present Viceroy. The remaining two, the Knangping and Kuangi which are very similar to the Kuangchiv were completed by the arsenal a d are fit for active service. When they were ready commanders were appointed to them, und were desired to fit them out, with guns, torpedoes, electric lights, flags and other neerssaries, beside shipping proper crews. This very expensive work was only com-leted last May, and as Admiral Ting happened to be in those parts, he was asked to yo to Foochow and take them over for tie Canton Viceroy. The guns were good and so were the engines; but it had not been possible to make a thorough trial of the speed of the ships. The donkey engines wanted slight alterations, which had at once been effected. In June the ships came to Canton, where the Viceroy inspected them. Their crews all told amount to between 140 and 150 men. For the purpose of drilling with the northern fleet, their commanders have been put under the orders of the captain of the Knangehio, who has been through that, work. several times. Half of the cost of the materials and labour was found by the Foochow Arsenal, while the remainder comes from contributions by officials, gentry and salt merchants. For further expenditure the Viceroy beys that he may have recourse to the sum of Tls. 100,000 which was to be repaid this year by the Hupeh government for guns transferred to that province from Canton.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.