Ichang, Nov. 9.
There has recently been a considerwwle revival in the opium trade on the river and recent movements appear to be tending toward legalization.
Ichang is a most important place in connexion with the transport of opium. Whatever comes from Szechuan, and such quantities as come from the Shinan prefecture of this province, as well as any that may reach the river from Kueichow and Yunnan, is likely to find its way to Central China through this port. The Maritime Cus-atoms have had a hard task to search all steamers and smaller craft and ure making a gallant attempt to suppress the illicit trade. Large quantities have been seized and confiscated and afterwards destroyed, but it is common knowledge that what is seized is not even a tithe of the quantity successfully smuggled through. This is small blame to the Customs officials, for they simply cannot keep tally of all that 1s afloat, and lately it has been easy to see that the military are taking a hand in the game The certainty of big money from the game has proved too great a temptation for some of the local gentry as well as the military.
Recently two institutions have been established which have given rise to much speculation. They are called "The Army Joint Office for General Conitrol and Investigation" and "The Transportation Company for the Succour of Ichang." Be it noted that neither of these titles contain such a word as opium, but it is asserted they have been created for no other purpose than to control the opium trade through taxation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.