When I ast wrote and alluded to likin difficulties 'I little thought that: matters would so soon assume the very'acute form they have taken within' the past fortnight, Before: proceeding to describe. the actual occurrences now have to report, it may be as well to state clearly what the Chinese contention.is with. reference to foreign goods and their liability to likin, QE course, on landing from the steamer attempt is made to levy the'tax; but the instant any effort is nised at distribution, even if only going from Anping (where some of he godowns are: located) into the adjacent city of Tainan Fu, the likin officials immediately pounce on the goods and demand the tax. They practically say and actually insist that foreigners can only import into their, own godowns, and that the moment their goods come out for distribu-ion, no matter whether the destination be within the Treaty port or up-country, these goods de facto cease to be imports and become native exports, and so liable to likin. The regulation prohibiting import Jikin in Formosa is very distinct, and so the officials have to evade tne point in the way I describe. All through the treaty-port likin stations are erected fur enforcing the levy, and in fact what the officials in effect contend now is that foreigners only have a right to import into a limited area, and therein sell. This area isto be: their actual godown and offices, or, as it used to be styled in the old Canton days, within their "factories but go one step beyond and the goods become "native exports" and so-are liable! They openly assert that they: will spare no effort to get at and punish native. purchasers and servants who may either alone or by assistance of foreigners evade the likin; that their persecution will not be confined to Formosa, in the event of the transgressors having homes on the mainland, but will be vigorously pushed all over China, and that the respective officials will be apprised, and requested to take action, if necessary by telegram or special messenger That all this is no mere-empty boast the following account of what has actually ocourred, and is occurring now, with reference to a well known and influential American house, will I think amply prove 'On or about the morning' of the 27th February the firm in question gave a delivery order to their con"pradore for 60 cases of kerosene oil, which oil was duly shipped into a cargo boat lying alongside the godown. During the night the tide began to fall, and the boat hauled off into mid-stream. must here state that pending the settlement of the question at Peking the foreign compradores have been paying likin, and so their boatmen had in their possession Chinese application forms which, on starting, they were in the habit of alin up and handing-to the runners, who delivered the same at the likin office, the Amount being collected a day or tw: afterwards. On the runners boarding th boat the form was in due course handed to them, but they refused to accept it, stating that the boat, though anchored' at the time they boarded, had intended' to sli away, and thereupon they' seized both: oil boat. On matters being' represented to the foreign firm these latter at once applied for release of boat' and cargo, pointing out that the oil' was their pro-Fie at all. The officials refused to deliver erty, and protesting against the levy of plas a fine for the°alleged attempt at the goods unless the: tax was paid,
smuggling." 'The* only concession they consented at Ist to make was thatthe fine might, in this instatice, be a' "nominal 'The foreigners now appealed to the Con-1, handing him over the book of appli tion forma, the existence of which, by the bye, they then for the first time became aware of. The Consul applied'to.the Taotai for' release of cargo, and'the latter replied that the goods were" ust foreign-owned, int belonged to a native firm (naming-the foreigner's compradore by his Chines' commercial appellation) and that the goods would not os released "until both fine and tax were paid, The Consul of-¢oured impressed on the Taotai the" illegality of this act, but, it is paid outside, this latter "official only becamé'*miore farious vowing vengeance against'foreigners'and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.