As I, the Empress Dowager Tze-hsi-tuanyi, etc., am filled with anxiety at the precarious condition of the Yellow River T commanded all my officials to recommend to me men who are well versed in river conservation works in order to get from them some plan of securing a permanent conservation of the River. As this matter is of the greatest importance to the empire I hereby command the Grand Council in conjunction with the Grand Secretariat, Six Boards, the Court of Censors and the other Minor Courts to meet together for a grand consultation of the matter and then report to me the result thereof.
24th October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.