In order to clear all the goods onlered from Japan and avviving after the time-limit set by the s0- called Boycott Committee, merchants have employed third parties to pass the goods through the Customs, paying a commission of from five to ten per cent. of the invoice value, 'These agents, who are neither Chinese nor' Japanese, have been making quite a nice sum "on the side," and continue to do so. The goods frequently arrive in foreign bottoms, by round-about routes, The extra charges are, of course, added to the invoice cost, the merchants, in turn, putting up their prices pro: portion ately.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.