Resentment Against Stringent Methods of Chinese Customs to Prevent Rice Smuggling Canton, Sept. 20, Serious trouble between China and Japan is brewing in Swatow s 9 result of the stringent measures taken By the Chinese Customs authorities there to stamp out the alleged smuggling of Formosan rice into. Swatow.
Owing to the tension arising from the dispute, six Japanese destroyers have been sent to Swatow, where the situation is oMfcially admitted to be grave, to protect Japanese lives and property."
Serious developments are feared if the matter is not settled by negotla-
The Japanese consular authorities to-day denied, however, that Rear-Admiral Shimomura, Commander of the Sth Torpedo-Boat Flotila, "Is remaining near Canton." He is stated to be at present still aboard the Tatsuda in Swatow. 3 "The dispute is causing grave concern in Chinese circles, who believe that the Japanese Navy would take rect action against the Chinese forts to "suppress smuggling" if a settlement is not reached.
Treaty Violation the seizure and confiscation' of Japanese rice is dis continued, the Japanese Navy may find It necessary to "entry out its Reuter authoritatively learned today that the Japanese Consul-General, here recently filed a strong protest, with the Chinese authorities over: the recent detention of Jupanese tice. He demanded the immediate release of all seizures, but the request has thus far not been complied with.
Tt appears that the trouble started the middle of September, when the Chinese authorities detained Japanese rice, estimated to be worth 000, at Kityang and Chaoan on ground that it had been imported into the interior without paying the provincial inland tax, It As alleged that there have been ix similar incidents and that, despite representations made by the Japanese Consul, they remain unseltied, It Is understood that there are over 500 Japanese subjects engaged trade in Swatow, most of whom are Formosans—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.