Tientsin, Apr. 28.
The opening of inspection offices in Chikou and other places south of Taku is designed as a preventive measure against smuggling, declared the Chinese authorities here to-day. Several junks with smuggled goods, they added, are now detained at Chikou.
Meanwhile, the freighter Hai Chang, which was seized more than a fortnight ago, outside Tangku, for alleged smuggling, is still detained by the Chinese Customs at Haiho. The fine demanded has been reduced to $10,000, but the Japanese authorit-{es here are negotiating for the owners, believed to be some Chinese in Newchwang, to offer $5,000. The vessel has 'a displacement of 1,000 tons and is reported to possess both Chinese and Manchoukuo papers.
Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.