S92 Mr. Davids Extracts from the Peking Gazette. 



XIII. Destruction of Records by Fire. 



2d moon, 29th day (29th March). 



" Han-wan-lce, governor of Kea?ig-soo province, kneeling presents to the 

 Imperial attention a report of the destruction by fire of the pubHc records 

 of his government. 



" On the second day of the first moon, at midnight, the offices of re- 

 cords to the west of tlie chief hall of government being on fire, I, the go- 

 vernor, followed by all the civil and military officers, soldiery, &c. hastened 

 to extinguish the flames, and by our strenuous exertions the wliole range 

 of buildings appertaining to the great hall were rescued from destruction ; 

 but tlie records, whicii were arranged in extensive piles within their several 

 buildings, being very liable to catch and propagate the flames, increased 

 by a violent wind blowing at the time, tlie power of man was unavailing to 

 save them from destruction. In all twenty-seven apartments containing 

 government records were consumed : but the fire did not extend to any of 

 tlie dwellings of the people, nor were there any lives lost. I immediately 

 gave orders to investigate wiiat records had been burned, and to supply 

 fresh copies from all the subordinate offices of their former reports. TVoo- 

 show-ke, the officer in charge of tiie records, and his assistants, being put 

 on their trial made tiie following statement. 



" In the Record-Office there has hitherto been an apartment dedicated 

 to the guardian deity of the records, wherein nobody slept. On tiiat night, 

 when all were asleej) in their respective quarters, the porter, Scti-ta, was 

 awakened from his sleep by a noise proceeding from the walls of the build- 

 ing, and on starting up to ascertain the cause, perceived the flames burst- 

 ing out from the chamber apjiropriated to the deity. He immediately called 

 up the people to endeavour to extinguish the fire : but as it had burned 

 until midnight, its Ndolence was such as to cause the destruction of the 

 Record-Office. It had been customary, every morning and evening, to 

 place lighted sticks of incense and candles before the shrine of the deity ; 

 and on the first day of the new year the number of these had been greater 

 than usual. They could not tell at what time the fire had communicated 

 to the building, nor could they give any information as to the individual 

 by whose carelessness it had happened. These were the whole of the cir- 

 cumstances with which they were acquainted. 



" On being repeatedly examined they steadily maintained the same evi- 

 dence. As the officer, Woo-show-ke, had the especial charge of the records, 



