pendent Mahommedan population of the Western Provinces; and will the change be brought about by them, are questions which may probably affect a future generation; but are nevertheless full of interest to neighbouring governments, and political speculators of the present day. ALBERT FYTCHE, COLONEL, Chief Commissioner, British Burma; and Agent to His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India. APPENDIX F. LETTER OF APOLOGY FROM THE EMPEROR OF CHINA, AND CREDENTIALS OF THE ENVOY KUO SUNG-TAO, ON HIS MISSION TO GREAT BRITAIN. DATED OCTOBER, 1876. (Translation.) The Emperor of China salutes the Queen of England and Empress of India. HAVING become inheritor of the great estate by the mandate of Heaven, and reverently continued the succession to our great estate, we have borne in affectionate remembrance the States in amity with us and [have desired] to consolidate for ever relations of friendship and concord. In the first moon of the first year of the reign of Kwang Sü (February, 1875), the official interpreter of your Majesty's Government, Ma Kia-li (Mr. Margary) by name, whilst travelling under passport from Burma, and on having reached the frontier region of the province of Yunnan, was murdered, and his companion, Colonel Browne, was attacked and driven back. We made special appointment of Li Han-chang, GovernorGeneral of the Hu Kusang provinces, to proceed to Yunnan for the purpose of instituting inquiry and taking action in conformity. with the principles of justice; and we furthermore issued a Decree enjoining upon the Governors-General and Governors of all the provinces that they should give instructions to all local authorities within their jurisdiction to the effect that the provisions of the Treaties must be duly fulfilled with reference to all persons travelling under passport in the places under their authority. Li Hun-chang having completed his investigation, memorialised us requesting that the military officer, Li Chêu-kwoh, and others might be severally punished for their offences. In the month of August last, we further specially appointed Li Hun-chang, a Senior Grand Secretary, Governor-General of the Province of Chihli, of the first class of the Third Order of Nobility, to proceed as High Minister Plenipotentiary to Chefoo, in the Province of Shantung, to act there with your Majesty's Special Envoy, Wei Toma (Sir Thomas Wade), in arranging the terms of a settlement of this case. Li Hun-chang has memorialised us, in reply, stating that your Majesty's Envoy, Sir Thomas Wade, had expressed the opinion that security for the future was to be preferred to punishment of the past; and we issued thereupon a special rescript in reply, according to the request that was made, granting, as an act of grace, remission of the penalties that had been incurred by Li Chêu-kwoh and the others involved with him, and still further enjoining upon the high authorities of all the provinces implicit obedience to the commands of last year, that protection should be afforded in conformity with the Treaty stipulations. We have also commanded the Yamên of Foreign Affairs to draw up a Proclamation and to forward a copy of the draft to each Provincial Government to be acted upon, to the end that tranquillity may prevail in the relations between China and foreigners. That Mr. Margary, whilst travelling under passport within the frontier of Yunnan, should have lamentably been murdered, is a fact which not alone involves the question of a loss of life, but which also has gone near to disturb our relations of amity and concord. We profoundly regret and lament it. We have now made special appointment of Kwoh Sung-tao, an acting Senior Vice-President of the Board of Ceremonies, and one of the Ministers of the Office of Foreign Affairs, as Envoy Extraordinary, VOL. II. X to proceed to your Majesty's country to give utterance, on our behalf, to the sentiments we have at heart, as a proof of our genuine desire of amity and concord. We know Kwoh Sung-tao to be an officer of capacity and experience, of loyalty and truthfulness, who is in disposition amiable and just, and far reaching in intelligence. He has acquired great familiarity in the treatment of affairs between Chinese and foreign Powers. We would ask that sincere confidence be reposed in him, to the end that blessings of friendly concord may for ever be experienced in the highest degree, and that all alike may enjoy the happiness of a state of peace. This, we doubt not, will be greatly to the satisfaction [of your Majesty]. APPENDIX G. MEMORANDUM ON FOUR YEARS' ADMINISTRATION BY MAJOR-GEN. A. FYTCHE, C.S.I., CHIEF COMMISSIONER. BEFORE taking my departure from the province of British Burma on a furlough to Europe, from which perchance I may never return, it may not be out of place if I put upon record for the information of my successor, and the public generally, a few particulars respecting the past history of this administration, and its progress throughout the four years during which it has been entrusted to my care. This task was in some measure undertaken by my eminent predecessor Sir Arthur Phayre, who previous. to his departure from Burma submitted to the Government of India statistical tables of the progress of the province during the period of his administration prior to 1867; and if I venture to enter upon a more comprehensive review I may be pardoned from the consideration that the main portion of my life has been spent in this country, and that for more than thirty years I have been serving in one or other of the three divisions of Arakan, Pegu, and Tenasserim. When I first landed in Burma in 1841, and joined the old Arakan local battalion, British territory only com |