I, the Empress Dowager 'Tze-hsi-tuan-vii,' ete., being filled with pity at the receipt of the news of the inundations in Sha"tung caused by breaches in the Yellow River embankments and the consequent sufferings of the people did grant the prayer of Chang Shu-mei, Governor of that province, to divert the tribute rice die by Shantung this year to the relief of the sufferers from the said floods, this being the speediest method under the cireumstances. This rice, however, can not alone, Tam satisfied, relieve the sufferings of so large a number of my subjects and I, therefore, hereby command that the sum of Tls. 200,000 be at once taken from the Privy Purse and remitted to the said
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.