Yo, ete., ete., desire to record my regret at the receipt of a memorial from[Sung Eh ing, Provincial Commander-in-Chief of Szechuan and commanding the Second Army Corps or Left Wing of the Wuwei Army, asking for the third time permission to retire from his command, in order to enable him to devote all his time to the curing of his maladies. The said General has faithfully served the dynasty for very many years and. has' gained lasting fame as an officer of conspicuous bravery and military talents. verge of his eightieth y 1g Ch'ing cannot be free from: maladies contracted during years of hardship and suffering attendant upon an active military life, and ihe has his Sovereign's and my deepest sympathy. On a previous occasion when asking for leave of absence to attend to his illness the Emperor graciously bestowed upon the said General priceless ginseng and other strengthening medicines, and I hereby command that the same may be again bestowed on him, and also four packets each of the various cooling drugs used by the Emperor and myself during the hot summer months. Sung Ch'ing is also hereby graciously granted permission to retire to some quiet retreat in the suburbs of the capital to recruit his health, and in the meantime the command of the Second Army Corps is temporarily given to Sung Ch'ing's able lieutenant, General Ma Yii-K'un. The said General Ma should continue the drilling and instruction of his forces in the way hitherto followed by his aged Chief, and should refrain from attempt ting to make avy changes in the organisation of the Corps. In important matters he is further to apply to his Chief for advice and instruction, and in all ways, to show that he deserves the confidence and trust T now repose in him.
Note.—General Ma kun is one of the ablest officers now in the armies of the North, and showed considerable military talents and bravery during the fighting between General Sung Ch'ing's army and the Japanese in the Liaotung Peninsula and Lower Manchuria in 1894-%
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.