'A. proclamation issued by fin Honour M. T. Liang, the Shanghai Twotai, has been posted in the native city in the following terms The consumption of opium is a great vice. Last year an Imperial Decree was issued prohibiting the consumption of this drag and all opium divans within and without the native city of Shanghai were. accordingly, closed on June 22 last, Lately, however, I have received information to the effect that there have been discovered several casson of violation of the Opium Regulations. Since the assumption of riy post, I have received several petitions from keepers of opium di for per mission to reopen their business. request was peremptorily refused. sides requesting the Chihhsien (City Magistrate) and the (Chinese) Municipal Councils in the suburbs to take drastic measures to prohibit strictly the surreptitious opening of within their respective jurisdictions, I now accordingly issue a proclamation and hereby request any one to report to the City Magistrate or the Municipal Councils if he happens to find out any violator of the opium regulations. The culprit will at once be apprehended and promptly punished and no leniency shown to culprits, while their property will be confiscated to Government and portion equal to three-tenths of the forfeiture will be given to the reporter as a reward.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.