406 Mr. Davids Extracts from the Peking Gazette. 



this address to his Majesty, concerning the expediency of extending the 

 limits of the period at the conclusion of which military officers are required 

 to present themselves at court. He looks up and intreats the Imperial 

 attention. 



" The fixed regulations require tliat general officers of the first and 

 second degrees of rank should apply for permission to present themselves 

 at court once in every three years. The object of this was to enable the 

 servant to fix his thoughts on his sovereign, and to afford to the sovereign 

 an occasion of bestowing his regards on his servant. In the case of those 

 provinces which are near to Peking, the time consumed in the journey to 

 court and back again is inconsiderable, and the expenses of the passage are 

 therefore moderate ; but in the frontier provinces, as Yuti-nan, Kwei-c/io'o:, 

 the two Kwatigs, FUfi-keen, Sze-chuen, Kan-siih, &c., which are several 

 thousand lee distant from the capital, the officers proceeding to court are 

 harassed by a long and difficult journey ; besides which, their duties remain 

 at a stand-still for a great length of time. The uncorrupt pay of military 

 officers is not large, and quite inadequate to the charges of their return ; it 

 is, therefore, likely that improper and corrupt practices may be yielded to, 

 in order to supply their necessary expenses. Since, therefore, it appears 

 inexpedient to adhere strictly to the prescribed period of three years, I, 

 your slave, foolishly conceive that, in the case of the provinces which are 

 near to -the capital, the old rule should be obsers^ed ; but as far as regards 

 the distant and frontier provinces, I have humbly to request that the Im- 

 perial indulgence may be manifested, and that the prescribed period be 

 extended one or two years, as a mark of the favour and compassion of your 

 Majesty. I, prostrate, entreat to be informed of your Majesty's pleasure 

 with regard to this proposition." 



XXVI. Locusts in tfie Province of Peking. — Imperial Decree. 



6th moon, 24th day (20th July). 

 " The Governor of Chih-le province has presented an address, recommend- 

 ing the dismissal of a district officer who neglected to present a timely report 

 of a flight of locusts. In tiie several subordinate districts of Gan-cliow a 

 niunerous swarm of locusts has lately appeared. The said governor explains 

 the circumstance of his not having already reported concerning their ex- 

 termination, and states that he has despatched proper persons to use all 



