Board of Works, has memorialised stating that his sick leave is about to expire without finding him in any better health and he, therefore, prays that he may be permitted to resign his post so that the duties of his office inay not be neglected in his continued absence. With reference to the above we hereby grant the said memorialist another month's leave and the duties at the Board of Works are hereby to be taken up ad interim by Hsit Shu- in order that there may be no delay in pushing on the public works entrusted to the said Board. the grain fleets bound for Peking with tribute rice. Now as we have already decided in a former decree to abolish these garrisons and to transfer the transport Of tribute rice through the Grand Canal and other inland rivers to the sea route, the above noted lands are therefore set free, and as the income accruing therefrom is stated to be very large, we hereby command the Viceroys and Governors of the Liangkiang, Hukuang' and Chekiang provinees to take over the said lands, examine into their resources and financial condition and the amount of yearly revenue that may be obtained through them for the Imperial Exchequer, and report thereon at once to us.
16th September.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.