The important arrangement between Eng-a China relating to the Opi of which we are able this mo ab stance in another column, factory termination the long discuss and correspondence which have been on this vexed question ature of the Chefoo Conven-'The arrangement satisfactory by both Governme will be encourag the difficult question of the Opium trottie on a eonnd basis, the Chinese selves: are disposed to consider that it will pave the way to increased commercial intercourse, By the Treaty of Tientain, Opium pays an import duty of thirty taels, or ten pounds, a chest. The present Article leaves that stipulate undisturbed. addition to Pthint m, th Viceroys of the different provi including the which the Treaty Ports a situated, have been, and are at this moment, entitled to tax Opium, after it has been sold to the Chinese, almost to Under ug atate of this of no fixed amount, snd in the Treaty Ports alone it varies from as high as eighty. tools a cheat to as was twenty-one. ion on the sub put it very which they Both the Government and the Forel merchant suffered under this. fluctuating aystem of inland taxation, The new arrangement will substitute for the caprice of formal obliga lek achest, which 0 throughout agent improve-'The mode of levying lekin hitherto in vogue has been not less objectionable than the difference between the amounts demon ious ports and inland barri have had to lie in wait for th Chinese purchasers, and to pounce down upon them aa they left the offices or godowns of the Foreign merchants. have been frequent collisions betw Jekin official and the Chinese pur to evade taxation, and at some authorities an Jekin, All th with. The lekin will be levied by the Customs officials, who are under the superintendence of Sir Robert Hart, and as the Opium will be placed in receiving houses, there will be no ground to apprelioud that any f ade full taxation, The importers and the purchasers will know exactly what taxation the article has to bear, and the Chinese Government, while saving the cost of the inefficient Jekin establishment, will be able to count on a gross revenue of ninety taels, or thirty pounds sterling, from every chest of Opium imported into the Empire.
prsgmnent shoald vol freely unt still Gtfully revived, that. the forced to purchase Indian that are now show that practic L common sense, and not a 8 urians iment, has dicated the policy of this matter. A fow enthusiasts may stil adhere to the opinion that is the for but all the China are agreed be put down and that it forms one of the most mute and productive sources of Revenue. These views have enabled the new: Couvention of London to pass into the region of necomplished fact, and to place one of the most important articles of commerce int China ona solid and permanent footing. The Chines may be complimented on not having been wished by sume of their n_advivers ard sympathisers, who, blind desire to rosliae their favourite hobbies, would not have allowed any regard for the material interests of China to atend But even the most extreme Opium advocates must henceforth abandon all expectation of the traffic being put down by the voluntary act of the Chinese; and they innet wait for w new ora before they can look for the realisation of their alternative remedy, a self-denying order of ottr Government to put an end to the cultivation of Opium in India, 8 Foreign merchants have also reason to be satisfied with an arrange: mont which substitutes a cle-r and definite tax for the vague and fluctuating one at resent levied by the Chi ern0%8, Ve hi red tot tie factory mode of raising the lek thor of the unpleasant features of the old aystem was that the Foreign merchant, who, in the case of Opium, is always " British subject, held to be personsily involved in (hess of the moat convenient paris where the lekin would be fixed at an almost prohibitive amount such cases might be frequent, and.
wene could show at least plausible sing that the: aympal were not altogether A yood deal of bad ins always existed on this gro is not Ube lost of the reomu Erciperbe, that thi content and disturbance will thereby be removed. The establishment of bouded warehouses, wh ably look. for at an early facilitate when all the 8 on every article are levied at the rexty Ports, which are also the places of purchuso, it is not unreasonable to expect that great increase in the amount of trade will ensue. What is not lees import-that the existing distrust of the joe Executive for foreiguera will be considerably abated by the present arrangement, whicl simplifies the receipt of the taxation which China is admitted to have the right to impose.
The Chinese Gov itself will also benefit in a direct manner from the new arrangement. It will be obvious that a proposal which at a stroke trebles the principal item in the visible Revenue of China must ridd immensely to the horrowing power of the cowutry, for Foreign
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.