not Gbgoral that before the Mahommedan It appears from memorial by the Gover-
rebellion a system of storing corn in public granaries existed throughout the province of Kansu; in the rebellion of course the buildings were all destroyed, and since then, in spite of the efforts of the memorialist and his predecessors, the system has never been thoroughly restored. The north and west of the province contain great grain-producing tracts and have never given much cause for anxiety; but it is otherwise in the mount mous regions of the south and cast, where little corn is grown. Should a sear-[city occur there, there are not sufficient stores to fall back upon and if food is imported from other districts, its price is more than doubled by the cost' of convey-it over the mountain roads. In some of the districts of the grain-producing region there are stocks which amount to 319,000 large piculs of first quality corn
available accommodation. For, as the full and 27,000 of second quality extending the extent of the army has never been're-established, there are not so many calls upon the supplies as there used to be. It has therefore been suggested to the memorialist that he should take advantage of the high price of corn this summer, and sell some of the accumulated grain at a moderate rate. This would be one tael per picul for the superior, and half a tael for the inferior quality. "The amount to be disposed of, would be as a rule the regulation amount of thirty per cent, or more if circumstances rendered it advisable. The proceeds, according to the same plan, were to be paid into the state treasury; and whenever the state of the market should be favourable, the treasurer would buy corn and store it in the poor districts of the south and east. The memorialist' was. pleased with the proposal and has given orders to carry it into effect. He now reports what he has done for the Emperor's approval. Approved.
21st October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.