The Board of Revenue has addressed the Emperor with reference to the annual subsidy due from Chekiang for the maintenance of the Grand Canal. The subsi has been allowed to fall into arrears to sud extent that Ts. 120,000 are now due. It is desired that the annual sum may in future be sent in full, and that the arrears may by paid off gradually in such amounts asx the Governor of Chékiai practicable, That officer des detail the efforts which he is making to carry out these instructions, '3rd October.
ARKUST OF KOLAO HUI MEN IN KIANGSI.
The Governor of Kiangsi refers to the Imperial Decree issued rather more than a year ago in which the high authorities throughout the empire were desired to'use every effort in order to arrest members of the Kolao Hui Society, and were allowed to recommend for reward any officers who especially distinguished themselves in se doing. The Governor has already presented more than one memorial describing what he has done to carry out these instructions. More recently it was reported to him by the Prefect of Fuchow that last March that officer discoveredl"the presence of Kolao Hui in Ch'ungjen Asien, where they were enrolling members and exciting the people. The Prefect therefore took measures to deal with these offenders, and in the first instance a man named Tsou was cons a ticket, which he chased from one Lo Hsing-pao. On the latter's being captured, there was discovered in his ion a wooden seal which corresponded with an impression on Tsou's ticket. Lo confessed that he and two other men, whom he named, had been enlisting followers to join ina rising. Some officers and soldiers were sent off without a moment's delay, and they succeeded in capturing the two men, Ch'en Ch'ang and Hsi Sheng-fu by name. The prisoners were examined locally; but as their confessions were not satisfactory they were transferred to the provincial capital with some other men who had also been taken. Oh'en Chiang stated that he was a native of Ch'ungjen Hsien and had gained a bachelor's degree in 1878. He acknowledged that he had been in the habit of undertaking lawsuits for other people and of drinking and using violence. On account of his bad character, his degree was taken away from him, One day after a drinking bout, a man named Chiang said that a golden dragon often appeared on his person. From this time forward he bogan plotting in conjunction with Chiang. He assumed another name which suited his pretensions, and engaged a dozen men to enlist adherents for him. Their watchword was faith and justice." The tention was to wait for a favourable oppor tunity, and then take arms openly. His party were to pretend that they were acting against unlawful religious societies, but in reality they were to make a descent upon Formosa and capture the island.
Lo Hsing-pao, in addition to his previous confession, further acknowledged that seventeen years ago he had been enrolled as a Kolad Hui. He was given a ticket and made chief ensign, with right of authority over one hundred men. Four ears afterwards he was arrested by the Magistrate of Ch'ungjen, his native place. He gave up his ticket and was allowed to be bailed out by his friends on the promise that he would lead " new life in future.
At the beginning of the present year he took it into his head to open a branch, like that into which he was originally enlisted. He accordingly issued tickets with a superscription which he now described, and stamped them with a seal that he had procured. He at the same time nominated lieutenants, and ensigns under his orders. Among those who bought his tickets was the prisoner Tsou. When he was confronted with Hsi Sheng-fu and other prisoners, they acknowledged that he had enticed them into joining the society, but that they had not committed any further unlawful acts.
The Governor found that Ch'en Ch'ang, apart from his antecedent bad character, was manifestly a rebel leader of importance, who had conceived the most treasonable intentions; while Lo Hsing-pao, who had once been pardoned and afterwards relay was an inveterate and incorrigible offender. He had therefore commanded that th should both be summarily decapitated a1 night take warning. by their fate. The their heads exposed, in order' that others
alt of the other prisoners, being spparentty of a lesser degree, he had—ordered that Nov:-41, 11892): they should again: be examined and such sentences passed upon them as they might deserve. As Ch'en Oh'sng had already. been deprived of his studentship, no censure would fall upon the local officer of instruction for careless supervision, but the elder relatives of the two criminals would be summoned and punished for fuiling to restrain them. The officers to whose energy are due the detection and expture of these important criminals, are recommended by name for appropriate rewards.—Approved.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.