In accordance with an agreement recently entered upon between certain groups of merchants and the Canton Strike—Committee enforcing the boycott, the inxpecion to guard against the entry of "imperialist" goods into Cantgn from neighbouring ports Shanghai will henceforth be done under the supervision of representatives from the four principal trade guilds of the city. A special cor mittee of 24 will be appointed to supervise the inspections. There have been several serious complaints lately against strike pickets hold-goods in transit as 'A. special strike picketing squad in Canton on Januady 11. seized 8 consignment of leather shipped by the Tung Sang We firm from Shanghai, the strikers alleging that] the goods were of British origin.
we oather was in 32 bales and is worth nearly $50,000 according to one estimate. The importers are contesting the seizure. It is stated that the military "court" of the] Strike Committee will soon render! tonese interference with the Customs, which can only be approved the Powers. inevitably blame the foreign "imperialists," and ave, ther fore, likely to ret te by seizing the Customs and assuming authority te enter and clear ships. Such an action the Powers could resent, as violation of the integrity of the Customs service, by blockading Canton.
The radicals, foreseeing this, are 1 the action of of Customs at on as being provocative, pointing to the coincidence of a British protest being filed here against conditions in Canton, as proof that the action was inspired by foreign interests.
The general foreign feeling here that the source of the inspira. tion does not matter since any action is better than prolonging the present impossible situation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.