1850.
Journal of Occurrences.
167
September, he was made chief commissioner of metropolitan eustoms; and on the 18th, returned thanks for the promotion of his eldest son, Kingsili, who had been given the command, as a general officer, of the Manchus of the plain red banner, and is now in charge of the imperial mausoleum. Kiying was also chosen to bear the cases referred in autuinn, by the Board of Punishiestn, according to annual custom, to the personal decision of the Emperor, who in mo- dern times delegates a certain number of officers to perform this duty in his stead. On the 21st, he was depnted to make a selection from the magistrates of purchased rank, chosen by the Board of Civil Office from a large number of names submitted to thein; and on the 25th, from a list of those eligible for em- ployment in Manchuria.
"On the 12th November, having b ́en specially commissioned to inquire into a charge brought by an inferior general officer against the general-in-chief of the Toumet Mongols at Sui-yuen, beyond the Great Wall, he requested instructions. His return to Peking is announced in the Gazette of the 23d Dec., but in the interim certain audiences are recorded, as also the presentation of a memorial by him on the 17th November, in his capacity of chief commissioner of customs, complaining of the practice of making dépôts of imports without the walls of Peking, to the evasion of the metropolitan duties. On the 9th December, he be came cabinet minister, and was desired to retain his superintendence of the Board of War. On the 10th, he returned thanks for the acting appointment of General of the Mongols of the bordered yellow banner; and on the 26th, was made treasurer of the Imperial Clan. His memorial regarding the Sui-yuen affair was sent in on the 5th January 1849; the complainant was degraded, and the general accused summoned to Court. On the 19th, Kiying received the title of President of the Imperial Library. On the 22d, permission to ride in a chair within the precincts of the palace was given him by his sovereign.
“He was now associated with Chú Fung-piáu, a vice-president of the Board of Revenue, in a special commission of inquiry into the abuses of the salt depart- ment in Shantung, and substitutes were gazetted to act for him in his different offices; but, after mentioning that on the 18th February he had returned thanks for a recommendation, in which certain high officers appear to be annually in- cluded, the next issue inforios us that he had requested instructions before pro- ceeding to Chehkiáng to inspect the garrisons of that province. On the 3d March, he addressed the Throne upon financial reform; on the 14th, his memo. rial is referred to the consideration of the Council, who reported upon it on 4th April. He did however go to Shantung, and upon the 8th of March, requested that four officers might be sent to assist him in the prosecution of his inquiries. Upon the 12th March, & decree was published, announcing that the arrear in- curred Ly successive collectors of the sal: gabelle, was declared by him to amount to 73,930 taels; and another, directing the degradation of several ex- collectors accused by him of receiving bribes from the salt monopolists. On the 14th, he reports that 300,000 taels are lying in the provincial treasury, returned as expended, which may be forwarded to Peking: on the 16th, that there is an arrear of 11,900 taels in the taxes of a single department, the prefect of which is therefore degraded; that the arrears of the districts of the department of Tsi- nán fù amount to 414,700 taels; and he prays that an inquiry be instituted into the financial state of all the other departments of the province. On the 17th, he returned to the capital.
"His departure for Chehkiáng is dated the 2d of April, since which time, ex- cept as having an audience on the 3d, no more is heard of him until the 28th of June; when he was presented with four taels' weight of ginseng. Ki Chí- cháng, who was gazetted as his associate on hia tour of military inspection, did proceed to Chehkiáng as high commissioner ; and after examining the accounts of the province with the governor, returned to the metropolis a short time ago. Upon the 26th of August, Ngan-hwá, vice-president of the Board of Works, was sent by his majesty to inquire after his health, which had compelled him to apply for a few days' leave of absence. His third son, Kinghien, of the imperial guards, was given, by an act of grace, a button of the fifth grade, and named ex- pectant of high metropolitan office. Upon the 30th November, Kiying reäppears to pay his respects.