I merely send you a few lines to announce the details of a settlement come to in the celebrated camphor suit, Lauts & Haesloop Chinese Government. It may be as well if I briefly recapitulate the tacts of the case, as it has been so long pending that your readers may have forgotten the particulars, Early in 1887, Messrs. Lauts Haesloop made arrangements for the ale of a parcel of camphor in Hongkong, and having secured a portion in Formosa, bringing it down under transit paso, (by the governor's orders—he had previously proclaimed a government mo-nopely in camphor), Messrs, Lauts' stuff was seized, und shipped in cargo-boats to Tumsui; on the way hither the boats were wrecked and all the camphor lost "Another transit pass was obtained by the merchants for 300 piculs. But as soon as a small portion had been collected and started for Taiwanfu this was also seized, the native agents and all connected with Messrs, Lauts firm being thus unable to fulfil their con-Heesloop being put into prison, The tracts, itis ssid, had to pay forfeit, besides losing' a good market.
Claims were immediately sent in and vigorously pushed at Taiwanfu, but the authorities ignored all applications, and the Wwernor insisted on his monopoly rights, in spite of the rules and arrangements made under the agreement between the British Minister and the Tsung-li Yamen in 1868, Tu fairness to the governor it should be stated that he knew nothing of these rules, as, at the time they were drawn up, Taiwanfu was the seat of government, and 30 all information about this was contained amongst the archives in the Taotai's yamen at that city. The officials there were bitterly hostile to the governor and avowedly Kept him in the dark as to previous arrangements, hoping, in the words of an English. speaking attache "that he would run his head against a wall; " disaster it was none of their business to prevent."
Phe Governor at the same time suddenly declared a heavy likin, to be levied in the treaty port as well as elsewhere, and amongst other high-handed acts, no doubt instigated from Taiwanfu, seized some sugar belonging to Messrs. Lauts and Haesloop on its way to the city (where it ad been bought, and were their hong was.)
This was all etalon, or destroyed by rain, on the roads for shipment, and its value went to swell the local amount of Lauts Hoesloop's claims. Then began the series niels which always accompany any claim for the recognition of treaty rights, but by this time the German Minister had taken the matter up and he has stuck to it ever since with that pertinacity and vigour so pre-eminently distinguishing Herr von Bran In spite of this, the afiwir was progressing but slowly, and'no doubt the claimants were wishing they could handle the money they stated they had actually lost, besides that which they asserted they would have made if they had been fairly treated. Noticing the enormous rise in camphor at home, in consequence of the demand set up by its use for manufacturing smokeless power, a truly brilliant way out of the difficulty was discovered by the merchants, and submitted to the Minister for proposal at the Yamen, This was that the Governor should hand over 500 piculs of camphor to the claimants
erying quits' on all matters in dispute.
Tamsui whence they would ship it home, By this means Mesars. Lauts & Haesloop, if able to realise at the price at which camphor is now quoted on the home markets, vi 70 dollars per picul, hope to obtain a sum of 35,000 dollars against their claim of about 30,000 dollars, and so they may well feel contented.
This may not seem a very dignified solution to the affair from a diplomatic point of i \d would no doubt, if suggested to the British Minister, have sent hysterics, but the Germans are practical people and admit that one of the chief objects for keeping s Legation in China to forward commercial interests, 0 thei Minister adopted the proposal, pushed it at the Yamen and finally carried it. A clerk in Messrs, Laut and Haesloop's employ—Mr. Julian J. Rubeu—takes delivery here, and he will no doubt see that both quantity and quality are in accord with agreement, although I hear the Governor, furious at the arrangement, has had difficulty in raising' the stipulated of the settlement was received, the officials were jubilant, thinking they had again. outwitted the foreigner in diplomacy; now they know of the splendid profit waiting in Europe for the vendors, they begin to sce that all nations do not diplomatist alike, and that Herr von Brandt and his smart tradal advisers have rather seen" Celestial diplomacy on this occasion.
T hear from the South that Dr. Mertz has arrived there and taken charge of the Vice-Consulate for the whole island, but we aleo understand that H.B.M.'s Consul here, who has hitherto had charge of Gerterests in the North, as his colleague in the South, will continue to act for and under the Imperial German Vico-Consul, who intends residing at Taiwanfu.
27th April.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.