The dismissal of a minor official, such as a magistrate, was a comparatively easy matter, if the Governor of the province was desirous of removing him, for in his memorials to the throne recommending the promotion of some officials and the punishment of others, a short expression of four characters, meaning "he is covetous" or "he has no authority over his underlings" would be, sufficient to seal the doom of the olsons to whom they were applied, and send. them into retirement.
None of the higher posts could be reached except by those who hae obtained the rank of "Taotai" or "Intendent of Circuit," and the Taotai at the provincial capital had haig representative in Peking and waited for the day when he would be promoted to be a Provincial Judge which would as a rule necessitate his transfer to another province, and a visit to the capital for an imperial audience If he were fortunate the! Provincial Judge would in time be-rome a Provincial Treasurer and this brought him next to the Governor of the Province.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.