An official, whose name is concealed, recently represented to the Emperor that the Canton Government has failed to deal with a number of eases of public disorder or oficial misconduct. The Emperor consequently desired the Viceroy and the Governor to furnish him with a full report showing the exact state of the case. These authorities now present their statement, which they preface by saying that most of the charges are sbeclutely tntros, others inaccurate, and the rest concerned with matters which have already been dealt with and reported. It was alleged, firstly. that shops had been attacked during broad daylight in the city of Canton itself, the robbers making good their escape with their booty, after in one case killing a woman and in another a man on guard. The feeling of insecurity thus caused was said to be such that the street barricades were half closed at an early hour in the afternoon, In the reply of the memorialists the fact of the robberies is acknowledged but they took place after dark, before the shop doors were closed, and in every case some of the robbers had been caught and executed. The street barricades have been Kept as usual, being partially closed at ten o'clock and shut finally at midnight.
The second complaint had reference to the seizure of a government steam launch and her employment by the robbers to aid them in their piracies, How this affair ended, the Censor said he had never heard. As the Viceroy long ago reported, the launch was seized by pirates who went on board under the pretence of giving infor-motion. Her commander was cashiered but retained in the service to try to recover her. Sooner or later fourteen of the robbers were captured, and four of them executed summarily, the rest being otherwise dealt with, Thirdly, the magistrate's ydménat Chieh-yang hsien was said to have been burnt and a quantity of public documents destroyed. The memorialists had never heard any such affair, But, having made enquiries through the Prefect of Ch'aochoufu, they find that the place never was burnt, and, when a new magistrate took over charge recently, all the archives were intact.
The fourth complaint was that there had been a six days' closing of all the shops in Fatshan on account of the misconduct of the Customs tide-waiters who had unfairly fined a merchant, and killed a woman in the disturbance which was caused by their conduct. With reference to this it is repo that last June the Customs officers ound a certain shop had not reported for duty some sugared fruits and canes. They proposed to fine the merchant would not submit, and both p: peuled to the Hoppo. After considering the circumstances, the Hoppo remitted the fine and allowed the merchant to enter his goods by a supplementary report, while the Customs officers were punished for their conduct, and a proclamation issued against extortion, Of course, the merchant concerned could not continue to trade while the affair remained unsettled, and those who were in the same line of business made common cause with him. But there was no general closing of shops nor was there any general fighting or any person'killed. chow are said to have revolted from dislike Lastly, the country people of Lienp'ing-
of their magistrate, and to have displayed on their banners the words " Driven into rebellion" This evidently refers to the affair of the Wu clan which was terminated and reported last autumn. None of the prisoners when examined made any state-mont of their having been persecuted, nor did the flags which were taken bear any inscription such as is alleged.
In conclusion the memorialists affirm that. though the province of Kuangtung has not attained the perfection of order, still a great deal has been effected of late and there is much less brigandage than formerly.—Noted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.