The following Imperial" decrees of the 7th and ist of July last have been received in Shanghai, a translation of which we make, as they clearly show their origin and are yet styled " Imperinl decrees.""
"17th July.
"We hereby order all Commanders of Army corps who have been wont to drill their troops after the foreign model, dress them after the foreign style, use foreign words of command and foreign bugles, etc., to return immediately to the old style of our country."
"21st July.
"The former practice of drilling and Aressing our troops after the foreign style has since been of great injury [tu other troops. Evidently owing to some mistake made in being taken for foreign troops and fired into by the troops of the conservative generals.—Translator] and we, therefore, issued a decree commanding the immediate return to our old style. As we ar, however, that some of our Comma ders of corps who have hitherto always retained the foreign style of drills, dress, ete., and whose troops th-before only know such drills and none other, find it ditticult to return at once to the hence hesitate to obey these, our special! orders, we hereby issue our orders o- cel more, as a refusal will entail great injury toall; ami, further, let there be no halt! measures but a radical change in this} matter, It is most important.
Note:—We have already given of the reasons for this change ordered Prince Tuan, other Reactionists. There are, however, also other! reasons which may he inferred' from what has gone before. Owing to the neutrality of the Southern Viceroys and Governors, which of course roused the hatred of the Empress Dowager, Tuan, Kang Yi, and others of the rebel government, this order to change back into the ancient forms of drilisand uniform is apparently intended atest of the loyalty of these Vicer ys and Governors, Another reason is perhaps the presence in the North of Ist Chinese Regiment, raised at Wei wei, whose general details of un are' somewhat si to the forei Grilled troops of the Yangtze and other Viceroys and Governors. 'The main tease however, of the above decrees ix that they are intended, we believe, for a test of the southern Viceroys and Governors, to see whether they will stick to conservati that is to say, the Empress Dowager, Prince Tuan, Kang' Yi, ete, or adhere to reform principles, i.e., friendship with Foreigners.—Translator, 14th Any.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.