1850.
Men and Things in Shánghái.
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pects; smuggling is no new thing in China Nothing in all the land seems better regulated, or to be conducted more systematically than this branch of business. How far its tariff of duties has been reduced to writing no one can tell; indeed every tariff in China is merely nominal, as different from the reality as can well be imagined. One of these new features, the only one I will now allude to, seems to have resulted from the stolidity of the functionaries connected with the na- tive custom-house department. Because a foreign vessel happened to be furnished with a certain kind of machinery, her owners must be subjected to any amount of annoyance the custom-house people night see fit to impose. The managers of the steamer were not to be wrong- ed in this way, nor were those who wished to ship cargo by her; and accordingly they arranged their own business. The amount of duties lost on the one side, and saved on the other, by this measure, must, some persons say, be reckoned by thousands of dollars!
The opium question is being mooted anew; some say more severe restrictions are to be imposed, while those who have better means of information declare most confidently, that erelong, it will be lega- lized, and a moderate imperial duty imposed. I see no prospect of the old policy being tried again; the last attempt cost a three years' war, and millions of treasure; and I do not believe there are to be found many who will recommend a repetition of the old experiment. It is not hard to believe, on the other hand, that his majesty's ministers— seeing they can neither stop the coming in of the drug, nor the ooz- ing out of the "fine-silver," so long as the old law stands,-may very soon recommend that "opium be admitted as an article of medicine," and so much duty per catty paid, as was done in the reign of Kienlung.
"Pa's" letter to the court of Peking is causing no small excitement both here and at the capital. Those who delight in rumors have re- peatedly had the satisfaction of hearing that the tiutái of Shánghái has committed suicide; still, so late as last evening, when he returned from the provincial city, he was enjoying his usual health. It is true, however, that some of the people, hearing of the steamer's going to the north, have become alarmed and left the city. The number of these must be very small. An imperial manifesto, said to have been obtain- ed from one of the public offices in the city, rates the barbarians roundly for coming up to Tientsin with a letter, and admonishes the people on the coast to remain undisturbed. Canton, his tnajesty says, is the channel through which such communications should be sent. he also that while the ostensible object of the visit is to congra-
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says
VOL. XIX. NO. VIII