United
States Legation,
Peking, November 17, 1876.
(Received Jan. 3, 1877.
No. 163.][Inclosure.]
Printed translation of an imperial
decree.
October 14.—A decree in answer to a memorial
from the acting governor-general of Min-Chêh and Ting-Jih-ch’ang,
governor of Fuhkien, with reference to embezzlements that had been
practiced by certain officials employed in purchasing munitions of war.
It is found that the expectant department magistrate, Shên Ch’un, and
the expectant sub-prefect, Wen Shao-yung, have been guilty of falsifying
the accounts of purchases made by them to the extent, in the one case,
of 21,000 taels, and in the other to that of 28,000 taels, over and
above the proper sum. For conduct so illegal and corrupt a rigorous
punishment must needs be awarded. It is decreed, in conformity with the
sentence proposed, that Shên Ch’un and Wên Shao-yung do suffer death by
decapitation, after imprisonment to await the period of revision.
Proceedings are further to be taken to enforce the restitution of the
sums embezzled, report being made to the throne at the expiry of the
period allowed for the recovery of the money, declaring whether payment
in full has been effected. As regards the sub-prefect, Chow-Sing-i, who
alleges in his statement that he was not in anywise implicated in the
embezzlement perpetrated, it was nevertheless due to his failure to
apply a proper scrutiny in the arrangements for the purchase of certain
vessels that so great a loss as one hundred thousand dollars was
entailed.
Confirmation is awarded to the sentence propounded in his case, viz, that
he be required to make good the amount in full and be transported to
penal servitude on the Mongolian post-roads, there to redeem by his
exertions the offense he has committed. For their failure to discover
that these frauds were being perpetrated, we command that the following
officials be handed over to the board for the determination of a
penalty, viz: Li Ho-nien, ex-governor-general of Min-Chêh; Pao-hêng,
financial commissioner and president of the military board in Fuhkien;
Lu-Shih-kieh, salt commissioner; Yeh-Yung-Yuan, grain commissioner;
Wên-ki, ex-salt commissioner, and Ow-T’ien-min, ex-grain commissioner.
As the offenses in question did not occur during Ting Jih-ch ang’s term
of office, no punishment need be visited upon him, his request) to the
contrary notwithstanding.
