has also started n branch of the "'Save Ichang Opium Prohibi-Yien Office,"" which, it will be remembered, is for the collection of revenue for the palmer troops. A proclamation by this deportment, decrying the evils of opium, says thit the office there for Its complete, suppress: tion It is hard to sde how face can be saved by such nonsense, legalizing the trade under pretence of suppressing it.
In connexion with the, growing of opium, tile Taoyin has been. absent from Tebong for about two months, on a visit to the prefect ture of Shinn and the western cities of this prefecture. These are all hilly districts and it is W! Tearned that the Troyin has been ing the magistrates of these tricts to make arrangements for annual payments for the Privilege of collecting hoppy. Patung is to. be allowed taxes
cultivate the weed for a. pay ment by the magistrate of $140, 000 por annnim: Tsikwei (former:
Kueichow) is to pny $190,000. No figures can yet be ascertained for the other districts. Tt appears Jikely that all the mountain fricte will We covered with poppy this year—Reuter's Pacific Ser-ice,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.