Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 314

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Journal of Occurrences.

ART. V. Journal of Occurrences; members of the cabinet; rumors

from Peking; forts at Tientsin; Hongkong.

near.

THE northern capital is now, more than ever before, an object of attention-attracting alike all eyes, foreign as well as native far and The Gazettes, down to about the middle of April, are filled as usual with memorials and edicts, announcements of new appoint- ments, &c., &c., seeming to indicate little or no concern, by the conductors of the "machinery of government," for its continued safe administration.

The four principal ministers of the cabinet areas at the com- menceinent of the year-Muchángáh, Pwán Shingan, Páuhing, and

Wang Ting; and fifth and sixth are 奕經 Yiking and 卓秉活

Chó Pinghwd. The original sentence, sending Lin to I'lí," the cold country," has been put in execution; so we have been informed. He left Peking sometime last month. Kishen has been banished to Mantchouria; and old I'lipú sent again to Chekiáng.

The rumor that Táukwang has fled from Peking to Moukden, we do not find authenticated. The monarchs of the reigning dynasty have been accustomed we believe, annually, early in summer, to retire to the ancient residence of their family in Mantchouria, there to spend the hot months. This precaution for avoiding hot weather, we imagine H. I. M. will probably not neglect during the present season. At Tientsin, and along the Pei ho, from the sea to the capital, the Chinese, by all accounts, have made great preparations for de- fense. The forts are reported to be more than a hundred in number, and the troops almost innumerable.

At Hongkong, affairs have gone on peaceably. Transports, con- taining Indian troops, steamers, and men-of-war have arrived and part of them gone northward.

The settlement on the island itself still progresses rapidly so far as the erection of buildings is concerned. A market for the accommo- dation of the Chinese in disposing of provisions has been erected and opened. H. E. sir Henry Pottinger, under date of April 27th, issued a proclamation, declaring Mexican or other republican dollars to be the standard in all matters of trade, unless otherwise particularly specified. This was done at the suggestion of several of the leading English mercantile firms.-The Hongkong Gazette and Friend of China of the 12th inst. contains a General Orders of H. E. sir Hugh Gough, which quotes the approbation of the late governor-general of India, lord Auckland, respecting the operations before Chinhái ard Ningpò. Another paper of the 19th contains the following notice.

The appointments of land officer, surveyor, and acting colonial surgeon at Hong- kong, are, under instruction from her majesty's government, to cease from the 31st of the current month. The arrangements to be continued for the discharge of the duties hitherto performed by the land officer will be noticed in due time.

CHARLES E. STEWART, Assistant secretary and treasurer. Government House, Hongkong, 17th May, 1842.

By order,