(1) We have received memorials from the -tséng and Ch'én the utter lawless ina number of departments and districts in Chekiang province, and the effete administration of justice by the local authorities concerned. "Especially is this maid to be glaring in the departments and districts of Ningpo prefecture where Drigandage and violences are widespread ions of gamblers and blueklegs run riot in town and country. Re able and law abiding families are pill of house and home; men of wealth are seized upon and held to ransom, while whole families are impoverished and scattered for good through being vietimised by the gamblers and th associates whose ranks and those of bri cons" pirates are being constantly by men who huve lost their all through robbery and dice. It is obvious enough that, unless quick and stern measures of repression are instituted by those respon sible for this disyracofnl state of afl lawlessness and distress will-spread wider and wider and Chekiang will become what its prototype of Kuangting has already come to, that: is say, wide-spread rebel] and internecine "strife, Such a state of affairs is astounding and wholly due to incapable and unworthy officials who 0 long as they themselves are at ease and not bothered" close their eyes and stuff their ears so as not to take noti of what is happening under their very We hereby command the high of the provinees concerned to take immediate steps to find out the truth of the memorialists' charges and bring immediate retribution upon the persons of the guilty officials. Further, if there be found wicked members of the gentry wht give countenance to and protect these ruffians in their oppression of humble and hiding mers, they also should be immediately denounced and severely punished for their crime, Complaints having been made of the tardiness of the courier post mails fro Kiangsu to the capital, the matter was referred to Té Shou, Governor of said province, for investigation. He now that during the Sth moon of las! year to the 1th moon there were sene from Kinngsu province five memorials to the Throne and seven mail bags of official pondence with the various Bowrds and Courts in Peking, all of which were not delivered at destinations by the courier post until long after the limit of time allowed by law. A careful scrutiny of the books and records of all the coun i en moule as far as the borders rived in their pre ai 1 station the date:
hour in arrival were reco limits to the next Uso on Ir is the custom for exch forwarding station to receive a receipt from the next receiving station in order to make sure that each delivery has been made and within the time allowed by law. Now all the mails noted above were regularly recorded in the Kiangsu postal stations until it came to the last one bordering the Shantung frontier station. The latter station failed to grant the usual receipt to the Kiangsu postal officer and it is now necessary to investigate the courier station records in Shantuny and Chihli in order to get at the truth of the delay, as Kiangsu is not fault. We hereby command the Governor and Viceroy of the two concerned to investigate the matter report to us the result.
12th May.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.