A Peking dispatch to hand states that there is a report in Court circles that the Empress Dowager appears bent on making BLE. Chang Chih-tung substantive Vice: roy of the Liangkiang. provinces (Kiang-ssu, Kinizsi, and Anhui) soon after "1 B.'s assumption' of the acting Viceroyship. What are the reasons which influence the Empress Dowager to take such a step has
amongst: those who know the peculiar cir-Bot transpired, but the opinion general cumstances governing the Liangkiang appears to be unanimous that her Majesty is playing with fire. Viceroy Chang on his own part, however, is determined that he will not accept the honour should it ever be offered him, and H.B. has, it is understood, already placed his resignation of the Government service in the hands of certain friends at Court to present to the Empress Dowager if she should persist in making him substantive Viceroy of the provinces in question. Finally, it is stated that H.E. has himself strongly recommended to the Throne as the late Viceroy Liu Kun-yi's successor the present Viceroy of the Yun-Kuei provinces, H.E. Wei Kuang-tao who, as already stated in the "Notes," possesses every qualification necessary for holding such an important post satisfactorily to both foreigners and natives.
The Enlightened Governor of Hupeh, ELE. Tuan Fang, according to a Wuchang letter, has latd received private dispatches from friends at Peking that BLES name has been brought forward in a recent Grand Council Meeting for promotion as Viceroy of either one of the three Viceroyships of the Empire which are at present being held by acting incumbents of Governor's rank, namely, Szechuan (Governor Tsen Ch'un-hsien), Two Kuang provinces (Governor Té Shou), and Hukuang (now held by himself).
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.