customs purr.
August 5th.—(1) The Governor of Ché- kiang explains that the military supplies of ce are provided for the most part Is, and that the main their manufacture, such as copper, lead, steel, saltpetre, and other articles too numerous to mention, are cun-tracted for from abroad through foreign firms at Shang] In accordance with a suggestion made by the Taotai at Tientsin, articles for the use of arsenals have, since Octuber 1883, been subject to the same treatment as materials fur the repair of ships, and have invariably been wranted duty exemption certificates by the taotai at Shanghai. The latter, how now writes to say that all such materi will in future be liable to duty unless they have been granted special exemption under Imperial authority. Under special instructions from the Superintendent of Trade for the South, materials for the Shanghai Arsenal were to continue to enjoy the privilege of exemption from duty. The memorialist submits that the Chekiang Arsenals are equally entitled to a similar exemption, and asks for a continuance of the privilege which they enjoyed under the former regulations.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.