We are in a position to slate that, although the new arrangement the opium trafic has not yet and may not be formally concluded for two or three week, it lins been practically accopted by the two Governments of China wud England, and there is not the least doubt that its provisions will come into force almost immediately. The qu has long been wuder consideration, and it affects one of the most important branches of the Foreign trade of both China Tudia; and we are glad to be able to form of an additional Article to the Chefoo Convention, signed by Sir Thomas Wai and one of the claus Acticle requires its ratification, and with it that also of the Chefoo Convention, as it may be amended or altered by this additional Article.
The two principal in it are the he uniform rate of per cheat, while the existing C of 30 taels. chest, estal Teenty of Tientsin, remxina unchanged.
to Tekin ins' varied with from as high as 86 tae in some parts to as low as 21 i others. The adoption of a uniform rate will remove many ing caiwses of discontent, and as the Will henceforth be collected by the Maritime Customs officials instead of by the ne officers, there will be considerable als time that all room for uncs1 nese Government, at
will be removed as to the whole importa-opium paying its full amount kin into the Government coffers.
There will also be an improvement in the mode of collecting the lekin, for opium will Lienceforth be deposited in special receiving houses, which will in the course of a little ted into bonded wi officers before: the purchaser ow the opium. The payment of 90 tael thirty pounds, per chest will frank the opium throughout the whole of China; and the provincial barriers will cease to have any significance in the matter of opium, although they will remain in force for other articles ut commerce. The arrangement is considered to be moat sat factory by both Governments, and th extension of the £ levy known conditions, and without bein, ject, as at present, to the virtually pro-bibitory tariffs of the inland barriers,—Standard.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.