Sm,—I have the honour to inform you that onthe Sth day of the 7th moon (lst August) T received a reply from H.E. Lin, Superintendent of Trade for the Southera Ports, to my communication enclosing copy of the Land Regalatious drawn up by the Municipal Council and requesting H.E, to approve them, the reply is as follows "The Viceroy is in receipt of the Taotai's communication and copy of Land Regulations. As he has never yet occupied himself with these regulations he deems it undesirable to interfere with them now.
Ie is a matter that should be satisfactorily arranged between the Municipal Council and the Consular Body with the sole object. of doing advantageous to the people and merchants. The Taotai will please inform them accordingly."
Some time ago Dr. Stuebel, the preceding Senior Consul, addressed me desiring the Land Regulations to be examined and decided by the Superintendent of Trade for the Southern Ports, which request I duly transmitted to LIB.
Now on receipt of the above reply, I have to acquaint you with it and request you to make the necessary communications, Tavail myself of the opportunity to wish you happiness of the day.
have.the honour to be, ete., ete., Card of the Taotai Tsar Cus, Esta conform, A. Perera, Interprete, Senior Consul to Taotai Tsai Chan, Shanghai, 5th September, 1998, Siz,—I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the Ist instant commuaicating to mea dispatch in which His Excellency the Governor-General says that he "denis it undesirable to interfere with the Land Regulations" and that the "matter should be satisfactorily arranged between the Municipal Council and the Consular Body, with the sole object of being advantageous to the people and merchants."
The new Land Regulations have been pass: ed by the ratepayers on the proposal of th Municipal Council, they have been approved by the Consular Body and are not opposed t> by His Exeelleacy Liu as they respond to the sole condition proposed by him to be advantageous to the people and merchants. Such is certainly the case, when they were drawn meu of experience who have only in vi the welfare of the Settlements and 1 quence, be now c colleagues and myself ha to submit to the approval of the Diplo natio Body in Peking these new Regulations, which will then enter into force as soon as they have the sanction of the said Body.
T have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.