'The Superintendent of Customs at the Ch'ungwen Gate presents his accounts for the years ending Loth Sept. last, showing a deficiency on the total assessment of Ths. 142,496.4.6, Various causes are assigned for' this deficit, the principal being the fluctuations in the value of silver and copper, leading to a slackness in trade generally. The difficulties and increased cost of transport due to the heavy rains during the past Summer, and consequent increase in. the price of food, have made merchants hesitate about riskin their capital in the import trade. Further the falling-off in the con: sumption of southern produce and the increased use of foreign goods, which are by law exempt from any additional levy on reaching Peking, and thus encroach on the Native Customs receipts, are all causes which, in spite of the most strenuous efforts render the collection of the prescribed amount of revenue a matter of impossibility.
The total receipts during the year under review were Tls. 181.004. viz:—regular assessment Tis, 110,724.4.9.2. and surplus assessment Tls. 70.280.4.5, comparing favorably with former years. The amounts received by way of fine in 112 cases have already been paid over to the Board of Revenue. In " few remaining cases which were of a petty description, the offenders have been let off with a severe reprimand, it being found impossible to collect from them the amount ut the fines. Referred to the Board of Revenue.
80th September.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.