It is stated in local Mandarin circles that the Shanghai Taotai, in his anxiety to preserve the neutr-lity of the port and aware that any initiation of his would not be allowed by the Municip:1 Council, proposes to ask the Viceroy at Nanki. g to request Sir Robert Hart to instruct the Shanghai Commissioner of Customs to appoint a special officer who shall have power to examine all god wns and store. houses in the S-tlement for contraband articles of war. In his capacity of Supe intendent of Customs we should think th Taotai would have plenty of opportunity to prevent export of contraband 1f any attempt should indeed be inde, without having such an atticer, as he desires, appointed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.