re Smuggled Silt.
On the 25th of the 8th Moon (September 26th, 1902) I received x communication from the Shanghai merchant' guild to the effect that certain salt merchants "Ku Yoan-hsing, Chang Hong-ho. "ud Lo Hong-jing" sent m a petition as follows "Shanghai is the market for salt from Chekiang, being a great thriving place for commercial exchange; but with existing rules and regulations in the Settlement, it is not cary to search for or to seize salt; for which reason the ing of salt yes on apace.
Outaide of a fix-d amount consumed by the ketchup establishments, users of salt do not care to enquire where the salt comes fiom. This makes the establishments of salt posts practically afsree. Merchants by and the revenue of the Empire dwindles. smuggling make great profit for themselves The salt tax being one of the great resources for paying the indemnity, if nothing i done to remedy the present state of affairs the silt merchants will be embarrassed and the revenue will beeoma an uncertainty (lit. hanging in the air) besides brinning into the conflict the country's and the individual's interests, Moreover, smugglers only think of profiting themselves, and if there is no one to look after these things, the smuggler continues at his pleasure to sell salt flat is impure and bad for the health of the consumers.
According to the rules of the Imperi Maritime Customs, where smuggled salt is found on steamers er sailing vessels the goods are seized and sent with a owd to the " Nangyang Kungtang," for which a reward of five cash on every catty is brid. Smuvgled salt in the Settlements should be treated the same way. The request is therefore made to the Taotai to devise measures for bringing about the desired end."
The above having come before me I find that with regard to the salt trade, the authorised salt merchants really suffer great, loss on account of the smuggling of salt; from which they ought to be saved by adopting the rules of the Imperial Maritime Customs for seizing smuggled salt and by making search at all times to seize such goods.
Besides sending instructions to the Mixed Court Magistrate in th International Settlements to send runners for making search and seizing all such and replying to the merchants guild, I write this t consult you in this matter, hoping that you the Hon, Sevior Con-ni will take note of this, and that you will instruct the pol-ce to assist in the search for and the "pprehon. sion (of offenders) in furtherance of the salt trade.
Ishall ever remember your public spirit, and justice.
Hoping that I may be favoured by a reply, with compliments.
Card of "Yuan Taotai. Dated 12th of the 9th Moon.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.