Tientsin papers of June 25 ree port:
'Among the appointments' posted at the Tientsin Customs House yes-allowance, The most important terday were the following' appoints question, however, is, how long will] ments of foreigner it jobs last, government Succeed northerners, and and if the Nanking Mr. Diercks, re-appointed Chief the Southerners Examiner, overthrowing" the] Mr. H. Howard, local Examiner in incidentally Yen Deport Hsi-shan, will the Consuls of. the various nationals who have—been temporarily engaged be called upon by Nanking to refund to the Chinese Maritime Customs the salaries and rages paid to them? Nanking will in this event, certainly maintain that.
ey have "been working for rebel" government as enemies of the legitimate government, The seizure of the Tientsin Customs has the intricate workings of the|@ deep political significance and such as "Calculating although the Model" Tuchun of} may say that he wishes to maintain the integrity of the Customs service and not hamper interfere with the legitimate trade Jof the port of Tientsin this is mere camouflage. The main object is to secure funds to carry on his war with Chiang Kai-shek. The total amount of gross revenue collected in surtaxes from the Tientsin Cus toms amounts to about Tis, 2,000,- 000, which is not a sun to be sneered even if the foreign loan obligations are deducted, So far, the seizure has been of an. entirely peaceful nature but it may have far reaching consequences with regard to the future efficient running fof China's only source of secured revenue, It may mean the breaking down of the entire Customs service in China which it has taken years: of hard work to build up to its present efficiency, and once this efi. ciency and its integrity is destressed it will take years, before it will ever. be brought again to its previous: high standard. Tt hits at the funda mental rest of China's only secured source of income and at the same ime undermines all Foreign Loans which have been secured on the re-Venues of the only reliable of income which China ha that is the Chinese Maritime Customs.
'That it is a complicated—and delicate situation to handle can be gauged from the fact that, so far, the Foreign Powers have' declined to intervene, or lodge any protest with regard to what is most decidedly an illegal and the part of General Yen Hei to seize the Tientsin Customs the only object of getting money to carry on a stupid and useless war for mere personal gain. This may. appear a somewhat strong assertion ith regard to the last few day: events which have occurred in Tien-
Yen Hsi-shan would like the public to understand, the inherent gain for power and wealth which is so deeply. ingrained in every Chinese militarist fa the real and only motive, Even. if he comes out on top in the present conflict, other militarists will take a lesson out of General Yen's book and try and bring off a similar coup. It is a bad precedent, but if the Foreign Powers who are comily interested in the Chinese Maritime Customs adopt a laissez faire and non chi altitude, what can the foreign business man in China do?
Mr, J. R. Stewart, local Examiner.
Stewart! ical Ex Me, Patrick R. Murray, local Examiner in the Postal office, Mr. M.A, Versini, 3rd Class Tide waiter, It is understood that a number of other foreigners had received appointments but had not yet been posted yesterday afternoon, Interviewed during yesterday afternoon, Mr. Lenox Sinipson said. "We have made a good number of appointments to-day, I can't remember exactly how many. We are going to start a filing system to-morrow morning. We are making good progress now. Before we were just saving ourselves from drowning but now we have got something under Now" said Mr. Simpson "there has been a lot of talk about the integrity of the Customs and Tam bringing old Customs men in as far as possible, I had some telegrams to-day from Shanghai ex-examiners asking for re-appointment and I have told them to take the first steamer up here. As to the outdoor stof of the Examination Department [am going to take no one but Customs men who wish to rejoin. Indocrs, T-have done practically nothing about the permanent staff but T have made these appointments of emergency officers. They are on a daily rate and they are a kind of liaison officers. The system very well, Their rates are about the-same standard as a captain's in the Army."
Whatever happens" insisted Lenox Simpson "nothing will hap: pen in this office under my charge which will make any essential change in the Customs organization, In fact I hope to leave behind ne one or two quite bright ideas."
Asked about the outside work, Mr, Simpson said:—sWe are going on quite well on the whan were very short of tide-waiters examiners but 1 have already some very good men, top. ela Chief Examiner "A" type to rejoin, For minor examining work I am making all "weighers" into n separate class of "Temporary local 6 rining clerks" and am giving them something extra."
In reply to a question about the old staff, Br, Simpson said. "None of the old staff have come back and now we have taken the position that wwe don't want them back."
Mr. Simpson said the main now was this question of levying daty in Shanghai and they hoped to come the next day or the day after to u decision as to what they should do but they had no intention of making the merchants suffer from this peculiar situation. They could perhaps make a very favourable announcement. but no decision had been arrived at yet.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.