To the Editor of the "Norta-Cuixa Dairy News."
Sir,—With reference to the article appearing in your issue of the 12th instant, page 9, headed "Rice Traffic at Pukow," why continue to publish these vague assertions that rice from China is being shipped to Japan? Some time ago 1 an dressed you on this subject, pointing out that rice can only be legally exported from China under hu chao, that is, permit from the Chinese Government. In the case you now refer to it is an easy matter for the British Legation to ask the Chinese Government, and insist on having an answer, whether any huchoos have been or are being sued for the export of rice from Tsingtao and/or Tairen or kath places,.and if the reply is in the affirmative, for the Legation to insist that similar privileges be accorded to British merchants under the most favoured nation clause of the treaty. If the reply is in the negative, it is then an easy matter for the Legation to instruct the British Consuls (or some commercial attache) at Tsingtao and Tairen to find out if rice is being exported from these places, and if so, whether with the cognizance of the Commissioner of Chinese Maritime Customs at those ports.
If it is not being exported from. these places your, somewhat frequent hints to that effect' must be held to be based on wrong information. If it is and it is not covered By~huchao, then the Commissioners of Customs at those ports can be justly held to have failed in their duty to the Chinese Government and should be removed from their appointments.
Some eight months or so ago a case was begun in the Mixed Court at Shanghai in which it was alleged that a Japanese vessel wrongly took rice from a River port (Wuhu?) direct to Japan, but although I looked carefully in future editions of your paper to see the outcome of this matter I failed to find any further reference to it.
T am, ete., Free Trade.
Shanghai, April 13.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.