I beg to inform your Excellency of the receipt by me on the 2ud of Muy of an urgent dispatch by courier from the Board of War enclosing copy of an Imperial Decree, dated the 25: h of April, handed to the Grand Council for the information and instruction of the following high provincial officials, viz., the Superintendents of Trade of the Northern and Southern ports (the Viceroys of Chibli and of the Liangkiang provinces), the Viceroys of the Two Kuat Hukuang," Szechuan, and Min-Che vinces; the Governors of Kiangsu, Anhui, Kiangsi, Chekiang, Shantung, Hupeh, Hunan, Kuangtung and Kuangsi provinces; Sheng, President of the Grand Quurt of Revision, and Nieh, Provincial Treasurer of Kiangsu. The contents of said Decree being as follows "We have received a joint report from the Board of Revenue aiid the Ministers of the Tsungli Yamen in response to our commands concerning the memorials of Sheng Hsuan-luai and others recom: mending' the increase of the Tariff. Now large proportion of the annual income of the Government is derived from the duties collected by the Imperial Maritime Customs from foreign goods, etc., and because the country has not sufficient funds to pay for the maintenance of its armies we specially appointed Sheng Hsuan-huai and Nich Chih-kuei (Provincial Treasurer of Kiangsu) to consult with (Sic Robert) Hart concerning the question of increasing the Tariff with due regard to the existing Treaties. The said Shéog and his cole Teagues recommend that the duties on imports and exports be increased by mak ing a readjustment of the market values of said goods and that imported wines, spirits, cigars, tobacco, ete., be also duly taxed. These suggestions appear to beneficial and harmless. As the time has arrived for the reconsideration of the "reaties, we hereby command Sheng Honan-huai, Nieh Chih-kuei, in conjunc: tion with (Sir Robert) Hart, to corns
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.