fact of Ch'angeliou, Kiangeu province.
(1) Sé Yuan (Manchu) is appointed (2) Kuo Lé-min' (Manchu) is appointed Brigadier-General of Malanchén, Great Wall, and also member of the Board of Comptrollers-General of the Imperial Household Department, realised me recommending the deduction, for another year, of three-tenths of the salaries of all civil officials in Peking commencing from the 4th grade upwards, and military officials commencing from the 3rd grade upwards; and in the provinces of all Civil officials above the rank of district magistrate, and that of Lieutenant-Colonel upwards among military officials, in order to form the special contribution to the Imperial Exchequer begun last year. Now, I, the Empress Dowager, know that the salaries of our officials are needed for the support of themselves and their families, and if the Government continue going on deducting such salaries, making a temporary measure appear like a settled regulation, this would appear like extortion and not kindness, hence I must veto the 3rd December.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.