We think it is high time that some distinct understanding was arrived at between the British Consular authorities and their nationals with regard to the Registration Tax. That the impost is highly unpopular one, and of even questionable legality, are facta which our representatives themselves can scarcely avoid acknowledging, and we are sure that they would be quite as glad to seo it abolished altogether as those upon whom it is levied. That the ground on which it stands is felt to be insecure is evident. Once a year the cut-and.dried advertisement is published, warning all liege subjects of the Queen that, under the Order i Council, they are bound to regi themselves at the Consalate; on pain, it seems, of Consular recognition being refused, and divers penalties meted out by the Supreme Court, imprisonment being resorted to in the case of the ucibly obdurate. Once upon a time, this proved no empty threat. Dozens of recalcitrants were marched up to the Supreme Court, and fined; one gentleman was carried within a fow yards of the gaol-door, at sight of which he quailed and tendered his submission; auother, a man of venerable age and snowy beard, was deprived of the very chair on which he eat, All this, of course, was excessively amusing. British subjects rather liked the fan of it; for the Government to play at despotism was rather a novel sensation than otherwise, and 80 people laughed and brid. But the dignity of the law—we bog pardon, we mean of the Order in Gouneil—having been avenged, " milder spirit gradually came over the Consular administration. The representatives of Hor Mnjesty's Government in China seem to have got tired of the farce, and contented themselves with sending an annual advertisement to the paper. This, of course, was good for the paper, and apparently did no harm to anybody. People came and went, resided here or travelled from port to port as business or pleasure demanded, and no one asked or cared whether they bad registered themselves or no, And thus it has been for several yours; as long as a man lives quietly in Shangh not pestered about his yearly fe certainly so far recognised as a by the authorities as to be invited to public meetings of British subjects with Her Majesty's Consul in the Chair, We do not remember that at the meet~ ing held some time ago to consult about the reception of the Princes Mr,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.