386 Mr. Davids Extracts from the Peking Gazette, 



from being scattered abroad without a resource, thus seconding my sincere 



wish to cherish them in proportion to the necessity of the times. Be 



not remiss ! 



" A special Edict."* 



III. Forbidding t/w possession of Fire-arms to the common People. 



1st moon, 24th day (23d Februarj'). 



" An imperial edict has been respectfully received, in reply to the ad- 

 dress of Chin-ku'b^jin, governor of Kxcei-choxv, on the subject of his having 

 made a general muster of the matchlocks in his province, storing up those 

 which were serviceable and destroying the rest, after having made compen- 

 sation to the owners, &c. 



" For tlie people to iiave fire-arms in their possession is contrary to law, 

 and orders have already been issued to each provincial government to fix 

 a period within whicli all matchlocks belonging to individuals t should be 

 bought up at a valuation. It is stated by Chin-kwo-jin, that over and above 

 the sums paid for those which are fit for use and laid up in the military 

 stores, as well as for those which were subsequently sold as old iron, there 

 is still required the sum of tales 1,505. If the officers of the different dis- 

 tricts be allowed themselves to advance the money, it is to be feared that 

 they may take occasion to peculate : we therefore direct (according to the 

 request of Chin-kwd-jin), that a portion of the proceeds arising from lead t 

 be appropriated to that purpose from the provincial treasury. With regard 

 to those fire-arms which are in immediate use for the safeguard of the 

 country, the said governor has already directed the proper officers to carve 

 on every matchlock the name of the person to whom it is delivered, and to 

 preserve a general list of tlie whole. Let the governor also give strict 

 charge to make a diligent search, and prevent the illicit storing up of fire- 

 arms for the future ; and let the workers in iron be rigidly looked after, 



* The Emperor here uses the same expression as is subj jined to the ordinary proclamations 

 of the officers of government, instead of the usual Khin-tsze, " Respect this." The above is a 

 curious specimen of the pretension to sympathy by which the empire of China is, in a great 

 measure, governed. 



f Those Chinese at Canton who employ themselves in shooting wild fowl, &-c. are mostly 

 belonging to the militia of the province, and have matchlocks in their possession ex officio. 



% The produce of Kviei-choiv 



