Another report states that 200 eases have been landed near the Arsenal and 500 new chests are on. their way from Constantinople. It! is reported that there are 4,000 in Shantung and near Tien-in awaiting transport to Shanghai and that other stocks have been tsingtao and Haichow under official protection. The opium, combines, it is said, have decided, in ease the public " opposition in Shanghai is too strong, to land their opium at Haichow for the present and to await a favourable opportunity of bringing it here.
Opium is now insured at Tls. 1,200 per chest and it said that certain Chinese insurance companies are reaping a rich harvest, the premium being 20 per cent, 'Of further interest is the fact' that not all of the opium brought to Shanghai is consumed locally; a great part of] it is sent to the districts surround-subordinates, igation in order to the Higher Provincial Courts at Soochow and Nanking and to the Ministry Justice for instructions.
The two local Chambers of Commerce have at last taken the matter up and, in letters to the authorities, ask that persons found trafficking in opium, either smuggling or selling or protecting the drug, should be arrested given severe punishment, and that ¢pium should be seized, confiscated and burnt. The authorities are quested to deal strictly with the matter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.