will soon he in the unenviable condition of the British Post Office in Shan: which is always being e'mplained of in the papers. In Ichanz we have every attention from the local post-master and seldom is any mistake made. We ai sorry to sev our postal officer is off da at present through illness, but the Chinese clerks do their duty well. Tt we could say the same of the Shanghai clerks it would be well, A home letter plainly addressed Hankow, Ichang was received yesterday ther mails Jate, havi been to Peki was discovered in the Chungking m: Sach mistakes, which could easily be Jed, are constantly recurring. A mail arrives and the usual home letter is awanting. We wonder what can have happened to friends, when after two or three weeks time the letter tuns up, having been wandering to other ports in' China, TROUBLE WITH THE SHOPS, We are being threatened with the closing of the' shops in the city. Some time ago a proclamation was issued to the effect that as the Customs dues (native and foreign collected) had to yo to pay off foreign claims, an increase of tax must be levied on all shops for the support of the Court and officials and soldiers. The leading men wf the city here met and knowing the condition of business agreed to the larger shops pa 1,000 case and the smaller, 200, and the intermediate, sums between 200 and 1,000. When the deputy arrived from Wuchang he was not satis hed with this arrangement and demanded 4,000 from those willing to pay 1,000 and so on.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.