The memorial of Liu K'un-yi, of the Premier grade, Governor-General of the Liangkiang Provinces, with reference to the investigations made by him regarding the indictment against Chang Chih-tung in his present position as Governor-General of the kuang Provinces. A despatch from the Grand Council of State bearing date of the 12th of March lust: was received by the memorislist enclosing an edict commanding the memorialist to investigate into the truth of the allegations made by a certain person age against Chang Chih-tung on the xround of base ingratitude to the Imperial grace and abusing the duties of his post in the provinces. The charges were (1) That on his translation from the Viceroyslty of the Linngkuang to that of the Hukuang provinces, Chang Chih-tung contrary to the programme laid down in his memorial changed his plans: into that of making ste) and opening coal and other kinds of mines.
(2) Begging and getting possession of large sums of money, he became guilty of too lightly believing in the words of others.
(3) Manufacturing expedients in order to extort or borrow money from his people.
(4) Erecting telegraph poles in Hun and tearing down the Tung Bridge in Hupeh so that he nearly drove the people of those provinces to the verge of open rebellion.
(5) Not reporting to the Throne when his own yamen got on fire and extorting subscriptions from Department and District Mayistrates on entering into office.
Ina word, depending upon his own talents and influence he acted in a reckless manner defying comment. The other charges were against Wang Chih-ch'iin, Provincial Treasurer of Hupeh, for mean and parsimonious conduct, and against the sub-prefect Tsao Feng-ch'ang whose reputation was very offensive and unsavoury. Memorialist was further commanded to report on the charges as he found them, and to give the truth of the whole matter. Memorialist having read the Imperial mandate was filled with awe and admiration at the wonderful perspic of His Imperial Majesty in which His Majesty has displayed his love for investigation into the conduct of his Ministers, and now begs to lay the result of his investigations before the sacred glance.
In the first place, Wuchang being " long distance from Nanking, it was not an easy thing to make investigations and get to the bottom of the matter, hence memorialist despatched a deputy to the capital of Hupeh to make secret inquiries of the mandarin and wealthy classes of the city for proofs of the truth of the above charges. Roughly speaking, from the commencenient
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.