On March 21 a change was made in the paying of various surtaxes. These taxes have been all lumped into tone and the rate set was ten per cent, fon all exports, and fifteen per cent. on all imports, this is over and above the duties collected by the Maritime Customs. This has raised storm of protest here in Chungking. The merchants. are refusing to take delivery of goods and there is very Ute cargo moving. The merchants of the city claim that the new method of taxation is higher than the old. It is: possible that it has been a relief to places outside of Chungking. as old taxes levied on goods leaving the city have been done away with and all is included in the one tax. The merchants have made seven demands of the government One is that the Import duty be reduced from fifteen per cent. to seven and a half per cent. and that the export duty be reduced from ten per cent. to five per cent. Another is that these taxes be dis continued as soon as certain special conditions in Szechuan are no longer in existence. Another was that goods seat by parcel post be taxed the same as if they had not been sent }by post. Everybody is waiting to see what the outcome of these proters
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.