(1) On September 24 last, all the papers in the city reported that the foreign Commissioner of Customs had sent a letter to the Commander-in-Chief (Gen. Chao Hengti) throuch the Provincial Governor's office. The Commissioner stated that on the 20th at 6 a.m., officers reported that a boat had arrived at the port with 60 odd loads of opium. Examiners with their attendants went on board to inspect, but only found a few members of the crew. They asked them from where they had come, what cargo they had and what permits. Suddenly a soldier with his rifle appeared and levelling his rifle, ordered the examiners to leave. They immediately left the boat having seen nothing-on board except certain leather boxes which probably were full of opium. The beat had come from Changteh. On arrival it had evidently intended to moor where the examiners had boarded it, but it at once went on up stream not stopping until it had come opposite Linkuan-miao (not far from the southern end of the suburb). This is the first proof we offer of government complicity in the traffic, (2). On October 18 the papers had a letter from Mr. Roberts (the Secretary of the Famine Relief Committee) saying that while ho was on the road between Siangtan and Siangsiang (where the Relief Committee are building a motor road) he came across a dozen or more soldiers escorting 80 loads of opium. Ten Ji further on he came across 120 more loads, also escorted by soldiers. Next morning, he came across yet a few more. time, the loads were labelled for the "Chang Chi Company." The coolies all said the opium was going to Changsha en route for Hankow. All this Mr. Roberts reported on his personal observation. this is our second proof of government complicity.
(3) The "Z'a-kung-pao"' about the same time published a letter from the Rev. W. W. Gibson (the Chairman of the Hunan District of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission) saying that he also had been on the cawking road and that on October i0 he had passed.'!ti gether 9 loads each of which consisted of two large boxes. Ihe Kev. J. H. Stanheld (of Paoking) had also seen a Jarge number and told Mr. Gibson so. He said that when the opium reached Paoking, the escort had used the Ch'i Ancestral Hall to: storing their loads. The Wesleyan Methodist Mission rents sonic of the rooms of this Hall for school purposes and the soldiers actually wanted to put opium in the school rooms. About the same time, the English agent of Messrs. Brunner, Moud & Ca. was travelling along this same road. He not only saw, but took a photograph of the convoy. This is our third proof.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.