'A letter from Wuchang reports that the Chinese Tariff Commissioners, rae Kung-pao and Lu Hai-huan, are now in Wuchang occupied ly in long and secret deliberations over the propsed new Tariff with Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, some of these lengthy conferences lasting to the small hours of the night, while on two or three occasions it was not until the sun had risen above the horizon that the conferences broke up. It is thought probable that the Tariff Commissioners' may leave Wuchang for Shanghai on or about the 25th instant.
The Encouragement of Trade Industries.
The following is translated from the Universal Gazette":—A syndicate of Chinese capitalists having recently constructed at Nanking factories for the manufacture of soap, candles, towels, ete., have petitioned Hsii Tuotai, Customs Taota is honour on on their £ Viceroy Liu that city, roque-ting bel praying H.E.'s consent for the monopoly of the above-mentioned indusing prefecture for a cer "for the encou: agement 2 Tt has now, therefore, to grant the syndicate fa term of five years during which period no other factories masing the same articles are to be allowed to be constructed and run in Nanking prefecture, The syndicate will pay the **loti-shui," or ground tax, on goods manufactured by it, when exported will pay in the 5 way as the Chinese-owned cotton spi mills in Shanghai, namely, pay clu y at port of export onl; sud so0ds for interior towns will play only one duty—at the place of manufacture, Burier stations, ete, through which said goods may pass will not be permitted to lery any duties whatever on them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.