hat this arrangement was opposed by the French and Russian representatives is shown by M. Beau's telegram of the 24th of May, in which he expressed the opi that, in view of the desire of the United States to connect the increase of the Customs dues to 5 per cent (effective) with commercial reforms, it would be better to abandon the project and to take the salt-tax as a basis of a mew combination, especially as the suggested increase in the Customs duties would not be sufficiently productive, the estimates ranging from a million and a-half to three million taels. lon the 7th of June M. Beau cabled that opinion that the salt-tax and other resources, with an additional guarantee in the shape of an eventual increase of the Customs duties to 5 per cent, would perhaps lead to an immediate' settlement. Five days afterwards the diplomatic corps came to an agreement to place the salt-tax third on the list. "es It appears from the foregoing dispatches that the dredging of the Huangpu and Peiho is to be insisted upon, but advantage will be taken of the opportunity to enforce commercial reforms.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.