Prince Li and his colleagues present memorial asking for instructions as to a certain matter connected with the celebrate next year of the Empress Dowager's sixtieth birthday. As is recorded in the Imperial Institutes, in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of Chien Lung the seventieth birthday of the then Empress Dowager w celebrated. Hor Majesty was cartied ina state chair from her own residence to the Imperial Palace, being conducted by the Emperor who rode before her on horseback in full dress. On the same occasion the Emperor composed some verses, which he wrote upon a screen and presented to Her Majesty. 'Ten years afterwards on the ocean sion of Her Majesty's eightieth birthday, he offered an honorific title and presented' address to her, both being written with his own hand. He also composed and gave to her a congratulatory poem in eight stanzas. At both of these birthday festivities the Emperor entertained Her Majesty at a banquet, serving her himself, and dancing before her in gay apparel. With regard to the coming festivities, the memorialists remark that the other ceremonies can await His Majesty's decision at any time but. they respectfully beg that it may be notified by what. route His Majesty will proceed to the Palace, so that the officers concerned may be able to make the necessary preparations,—Decree issued separately.
MAGISTRATE SHORT LY is ADAUNTS, toute of Chéch'onghsien in Housst handed Nearly tive years ago the acting mag
over charge to his successor, when it was found that he was indebted to the govern. ment to the amount of Tls. 4,471. He was denounced and cashiered, and when the money was still not forthcoming, he was arrested and put on his trial. Te was then found that the money had not been appro-pated by him to his private use; but. tad een spent in organising a force of militia to repress brigandage, and in supporting a large number of refugees from Shantung. He was therefore not confined in the com-non prison; but was merely kept in detention while efforts to recover the money were made. His property was ordered to be sequestrated; but his ions at his lodgings only produced Tls. 6.38, and nothing could be discovered belonging to him in either Chéch'enghsien or at his home in Chekiang. The Governor now winds uj the case. The penalty for the magistrate's offence is four years" banishment; but as the defalcation occurred before the last Act of Grace, the penalty may be remitted. However, neither the punishment nor the pardon nich matter to the offender, as he died some time ago. Two Treasury clerks and the deceased magistrate's private employ have been arrested. For not. preventing or reporting the misappropriation they are liable to receive eighty blows each, but they escape on account of the Act of Grace.—Referred to the Board, concerned,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.