The following is the purport of a proclamation that has been lately issued by the Kiukiang Taotai, regarding new Teas:—The Taotai of Kiu-kiang has received a communication from the Taotai of Hankow, in which he states that he has received a petition from the Kiangsi. Tea-merchants Cheng-ho, and others, who represents ''that since the commencement of the Ten trade at Hankow, cases occur "annually of Teas not being equal to the 4 muster, which causes Foreign merchants "either to reject the bulk or deduct from the price agreed upon, In obedience to proclamation issued Last year, stopping the arrival of musters, before the "bulk, it became the custom not to sell "on muster before the bulk was to hand; "but the Kiangsi Teamen from Ho-kow and Ningchow have not conformed to Ulus practice, and continue to send on musters long before the arrival of the "bulk, A code of rules lins, however, "been drawn up whereby it will become necessary, on the shipment of muster chests of Ho-kow and Ningchow Teas "from Kiu-kiang to Hankow, to produce, for inspection at the Custom House, the "Baku-tang Li-kin receipt, in proof of "the arrival of the bulk of the Tea; and the petitioners now beg your Excellency "to request the Kin-kiang Customs authorities that, in future, all muster chests for shipment to Hankow, must be accompanied by the Ta-ku-tang (on the Poyang take) Li-kin receipt, before they may be released, Out of each chop four boxes, will be allowed to go as musters, "which fact is to be noted on the Li-kin receipt, in order to prevent its bei used a second time to pass musters "and that musters unaccompanied by the Li-kin receipt for the bulk of the Tea should be detained. They would further "request that instructions be issued to the Barriers by land and water to detain "and treat as smuggled, any samples attempted to be passed without the bull thus for never putting a step to e prnotices, &e."
On receipt of the above, the Taotai communicated it to the Commissioner of Customs, and he further instructed the Hankow and Ningchow Barriers to be guided by the same, It now behoves him to issue this proclamation for general information. Let the Tea merchants acquaint themselves of its contents and abide by it, &e.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.