Shanghai, Dec. 22.
With reference to a question asked in the House of Commons yesterday concerning the seizure and confiscation in Shantung, alleg-cigarettes which were being shipped: by junks.
In order to reach their destination in another province, the boats had to pass through a' comer of Shantung. At Lintsingchow, on the Grand Canal, a demand was made that likin of $270. per pical should be paid on the cargo. The firm concerned arranged that the likin "should be paid and sent a representative to Lintsing for the purpose, Before the arrangement could be carried out, however, an order was issued by' snather Chinese oficial confiscating the entire cargo, the reason given being that 'a Shantung Factory Tax of 6 per id valorem had not been paid.
pointed out that the goods had not been manufactured in Shantung and were never intended for " consumption in Shantung. Nevertheless, the cargo is still d tained, the latest development. being that the goods will be released upon payment of the Gb per cent, Factory Tax, plus a fine of five times the amount of the tax.—Reuter, Tae foundation stone of the new City Temple was laid on Sunday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering. The Institution has had interesting history. Built origin" ally in the second year of the reign Jof Chu Hung-wu, the first Ming Emperor, more than 400 yenrs ago, was named the Golden Hill Temple, being the first of its kind in this part of the country. Tt is said to have been destroyed in an earth-Jqunke and rebuilt. Later it was fused as the headquarters of various military leaders who rebelled Jagainst the government. Two years ago, the temple was burnt to the ground. Through the generosity lof Messrs. Fan Hui-chun, Wang Mr. Yasusaburo Mori, Councillor edly by Marshal Chang Chung-chang, of a cargo of British goods Ching-yung, Tu Yueh-sung and Chang—Siao-ling and" other of the Japanese Embassy at Rome, to the value of $420,000, Reuter merchants, suicient funds were been appointed Minister to} Jearns that the goods mentioned raised for its reconstruction in Chite—Reuter, consisted of 3,200 eases of [reinforced concrete, The Viva - Tonal
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.