On and after the 1st Deoombor the follow: ing Rules having reference to the thick of woft woof planks and to the levy of duty thereon will take effvot 1,—Cho tariff fixes the thfokness of a bard wood plank at a maximum of 3 incles—the one rule Is to govern the thickness of a soft ood plank, 2,—Solt wood planks of 3 inches in thick ness, and under, are subject to a uniform rate of duty—vide tariff.
3,—Boft wood planks of o1 not exoveding G inches in thio rated ae double plank '4,—Solt woud planks over G inclies in thiok-regs are to be rated ay beams and ary to pay ad valorem duty as unenumerated art (Si.) Jastes H. Harr, Commissioner of Customs.
Phe most important clause is No.3, by which some incceuse in the duty on planks over three inches in thickness will be levied. Pho now duty may not be much in excess of thy old one, but that is nut the question Dotiveen the importers of timber, the representatives of the Treaty powers, and the Imperial Customs. Certain duties were agreed to in 1858 between the Plenipotontiaries of Grout Britain, France, and the Vnited States and the Ghiness Cominissioners, and the tariff then consented to can only be altered by mutual agreement among the same powers. It does not liv within the province of the Imperial Customs to change the scale of duties on the articles which are specified in the Pariff, eud all attempts at doing so should be promptly resisted by the Ministers at Peking. We are glad to leach that a protest signed by th firms here which are Bngaged in the lamber trade has been sent to the Capital, and we hops to learn soon that the uotilication has been with-Arawn, and the former, and legal, scale of duties returned to. As regards the actual increase in the duties which the notice quakes we cannot find any two people acquainted with the timber trade who agree as to its amount. We have heard it said that the increase is 100 per cent. on planks over three inches thick, while others have- estimated it at 50 per cent., and calculations have been shown to us of the duty on a whole cargo of lumber which under the imposed illegal scale is only Gk per cent. above the tariff as formerly levied here, when superficial feet wore calculated. "Again, we have been informed that only planks of loss than one inch in thickness are being charged a higher duty than heretofore, and that on the whole the new scale is to the advantage of all but the thinnest planks. But the amount of illegal duty sought to be imposed on the timber trade hero has nothing to do with the right of the Customs to increase the tariff, and we hope that all the Foreign Ministers will unite in strong opposition to this action of the Customs, 'A Correspondentsignin; self Timber-merchant? writes to us as follows Your remarks on the now-fangled idea of levying duty on softwood planks appear to be based on @ partial misunderstanding of the case. The tariff fixes the duty leviable on soit wood planks at Hk, Tis, 0.7.0.0 per 1,000 square fevt, and thicknesses and special rates of thicknesses have nothing to do with the assessment of duty until the tari? is worded differently, On reference to the tariff you will observe that the duty collected on hardwood planks is por Hundred Pianks no mention 1s unode of feet, and therefore hardwood and softwood planks are treated on a different footing. The Customs authorities are not only confounding thy two descriptions of planks, bat they are altecing the tariff, and this they have no power to dv, as they will no doubt shortly find out."—As we did not discuss the question of thickness and special rates of, or for, thickness in our remarks yesterday, we are not prepared to ackuowledye that there was any partial misunderstanding of the case in what we said. What we did say agreed with the last portion of our Correspondent's letter—viz., that the Customs have no power witatever to alter the duties fixed by the tariff. What we eaid about the differences of opinion among those who are engaged in the timber trade as to the increase of the duty under the new scale was for the information of those of our readers who are not experts in stich matters, but we made it clear that, lower slight the increase might be, the real que: issue was the attempt on the pact Customs to alter the tariff.
'A gentleman of means, who speaks of himself as "not a Christian," has contributed the munificent sum of Tls. 500 to the Building Fund of Union Chapel. Wo think his liberality in the two-fold sense of the word is greatly to be commended. stars in their courses are fighting bravely in favour of our Nonconformist friends.
We are informed that the native teamen of Hankow are about to take steps with a view to avoid in future the disadvantages under which they hare been labouring from the serious differences which exist between their own weighings and those of foreigners. Their idea is to engage a rospectable foreign tea-inspector to act as arbitrator or umpire, and to pay him a Tiberal salary; and itis said that application with this object has been made to the Chamber of Commerce here. The proposed measure is intended as a friendly attempt to puta stop to what they consider an abuse; if this fails, other means will be resorted to.
We are informed from Wenchow that the boatman who waa implicated in the num-abduction ease suitored death by strand yulation a few days ago, by Imperial mandate, The magistrate ts said tu have compassionated the unfortunate man, and sent some money to his wide.
We are ina position to state that the ne: prosveds of the Bazaar in-aid of the new Union Chapel amount as nearly as possible to $9,300. This sum doos not clude the money taken at the doors, which {s put as a sot-off against the expenses.
'A new religions woakly, under the attraotive title of the Star in the East, is, we hear, to be started early in the new year. The prospectus of the paper is very promising, Its policy will be evangelical in religion, progressive in science, and discriminating in literature; a good staff of writers will contribute, and the subseri tion will be two dollars per annum, Tt is to be published at the office of the Shanghai Mercury, An alarm of fire was received at the Central Police Station about twenty-five minutes past nine on Saturday evening and it was soon discovered' that the scene of the outbreak was Fuhkien Road block of new-builé Chinese houses, The Ioud-toned bell was immediately tolled, as also were those at the Hongkew Station and clsowhore. The flames raged fiercely and the glow caused by them was seen far and wide. The Police wore early on the spot with their extiuetours, and the Fire Brigade, as usual, turned out with con mendable promptitude. The Mil-ho-loon; were the first to arrive, and get to work in real earnest and rendered capital service by pulling down the adjacent houses which Were in course of erection. Their offurts we aay here atate, were well seconded by a party of blue-jackets from H.MLS, Sheldrake and Champion, who hastened on shore as soon as over the first notes of the boll were aoundod. 'The Deluge," "Eavvo," and "Torrent" fire engines appeared almost simultaneously, and, with as little delay as possible, commenced to pour steady streams on the flames, which soon had the effect of getting' them under;—not, however, before four hous: had boon completely gutted; and had it not _beow io wind As it is the damage probably amounts to about $4,000 or $5,000.
A Correspondent informs us that a fire broke out in a Chinese cook-house to th rear of Boone Place, Hongkew, at six o'clock on Saturday evening. It was put out with the assistance of the neighbours before it had attained formidable dime: sions; but this is the third time, he say: that auch an occurrence has happened, lately in the neighbourhood, owing solely to the gross carelessness of the Chinese in handling fire, and he urges that the super sion of the police should be increased.
here is not the slightest doubt that th danger we all run from the utter heedl ness and folly of the Chinese in this matter is very great, and the wonder is that accidents do not happen more frequently.
Wo are glad to hear that the Seamen's Hall has already made itself a favourite resort of the sailors in the harbour, A' considerable number of men from H.ML.S. Cleopatra and Sheldrake were on Thursday night entertained by some of their shipmates with songs, recitations, ete., a feo of twenty cents being charged for the benefit of the Hall. The entertainment, which jated amongst the sailors themselves, was carried through ina manner deserving, the highest praise, and we are informed that another meeting of a similar kind will shortly be held in the 'Temperance Hall, 'The attendance, considering the hour, and that little publicity had' given to the performance, was very satisfactory.
The third entertainment of the Temperance Sucivty on Saturday evening was very thinly attended, there being only about thirty persons present, This was probably owing to counter-attractions elauwhere as well as to the outbreak of fire in Fuhkien Road ocearriny about the same time. The Chair was taken by the Ray. W. Muirhead and the following was the programme
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.