Kashing, Dec. 15.
About 25 years ago, Mr. T. Macphail conducted the Customs business on a large houseboat anchored outside the North Gate. Eventually, commodious quarters were erected in a large compound and Deputy Commissioners succeeded each other from time to time. Mr, T. ¥, Hsia, assistant-in-charge, is now here from Hangchow and Mr. G. Gilbert, senior tidewaiter, came to us from Chinkiang. In season, quantities of Dongshang tobacco leaf, Bingwu rapeseed and local beancake are exported. In good crop years, silk and rice move extensively. Kashing is a distributing centre for oil, salt fish ant. Beggars crowd each other. Only the dead escape taxes. There are enough likin stations to tax everything that moves except the north wind.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.