(4) The other day, a number of officials presented memorials recommending the sending to Peking of the money value of the annual tribute rice from Kiangsu and Chekiang province vid the—Grand Canal, instead of transporting it in kind; for by the latter method the annual Joss 10 Government through the avarice and dishonesty of peculating officials en route averaged not less than 5 6 millions, which would all be saved to the Imperial exchequer by turning this rice into money on the spot. We, therefore, commanded Prince Ching and the Grand Secretary, Sun Chin-nai, to consult with the Board of Revenue as t" the feasibility of the methods above proposed. The joint report of these Ministers is now before us, in which they declare that the country is always in need of rice, that when famines occur it hus often been the custom to divert this tribute rice to famine relief, while considering the great imvortanee of Peking there should always superfluity of grain in case of emergencies in the capital, All this would be impracticable were all this immense quantity of tribute rice by the Grand Canal sold at the places of production and value in money transmitted to Peking stead. Furthermore, a close scrutiny of the recount books of the Board of Revenue failed to prove the assertion that there was Joss of from 5 to 6 million taels per aunum through transporting this tribute rice by the Grand Canal. The proposed changes would seem to benefit the gen merchants of Peking only, in that the Inck of this tribute rice in the capital would give them the opportunity to raise their prices to an exorbitant scale, for as things are even now, the price of rice and other cereals is constantly going up, so that if anything should happen where the Government would be compelled to buy rice the prices asked by the merchants would prohibit any dealing with them dnd thus cause endless difficulties and delay. We concur with this view of he matter and command that, with the exception of such tribute rice as has alrendy been ordered to be diverted towards the relief of famine in North Kinngsu and Shantung, the balance due at Peking shall be transported through the Grund Canal as usual and that the tran-port department in connection therewith be continued as heretofore. There is really no need of change nor of innovation in this respect.
3rd October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.