It was reported in local mandarin circles yesterday that " Censor, Pfan Ch'ing-lan, having denounced the officials in charge of the Peking-Paoting Railway of peculation and other misdemeanours, an Imperial Rescript has been sent to the Director: General of Railvay:, Sheng _Kung-we, to investigate the charges. Tt may here stated, on passant, that HE. Hu Yd-fen is at the head of the Peking-Paoting Railway.
23rd June.
The Crisis in the South.
News has been received by the local mandoring from Kuangsi to the effect that a noted rebel leader of tit province, named Liu 'Ts'ni-ting, with " force variously ex timated from' 3,500 to 5,000 men, completely armed with modern weapons, had Attacked and captured the departmental city of Hsiangwuchou on the night of the Toth instant aod that many of the officials of the place had joined the rebels. Hsin wuchou belongs to the prefecture of Chéa-Anfu, is ubout ten miles east of the latter city and about the same distance from the annamese border. Chénanfu borders also Yunnan province and is not very far distant from the treaty awn of Méngtze, Yunnan province.
One of the Empress Dow Favourites, The following comes from a Palace official:—"" When the Empress Dowager gave audience the other day to Hsi Liang, the Manchu Acting Viceroy-designate of Szechuan, her Majesty said to Hsi Liang PTgon Chrun-hsien during his shor: stay in Szechuan did remarkably well in restoring order in the province, and, feeling that you also are a capable' man J have accordingly decided to send you to chuan to succeed hin, Do not therefore disappoint my expectations of your ability By these words it is presumed that the Hmpress Dowager has in her mind to turn Hoi Linng's acting appointment stantive one soon after he
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.