Thirty years ago instructions were issued by the Emperor that the high authorities in the provinces must send in an annual return of the horses in their charge, both those kept for military purposes and those used for the government couriers. In accordance with these instructions the Tartar-General at Canton reports the number belonging to the permanent garrison in that city. At the beginning of last year the garrison horses numbered 480, of which 2 have died and will he replaced immediately. The losses thus amount to much less than the authorised number of remounts, which is fifteen per cent.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.