ENCLOSURE. 
Custom House, 
LG. IcHane, 7th February 1884. 
SIR, 
DURING the discussion that took place in connexion with the Transit Pass cases 
reported to you in Despatches Nos. 69 and 83 of last year, from this office, one of the points 
raised was as to what articles were entitled to be described as “Medicines” (@% #f). Such 
articles as White Fungus, Snow Fungus, Mushrooms, etc., the Superintendent contended could 
not be correctly classed as “Medicines,” being more properly articles of food; although the 
two first-named items, it was admitted, were used as strengthening diet by invalids. 
Seeing that frequent trouble in future would be very likely to occur unless some steps 
were taken to arrive at a common understanding as to what was included under the word 
“Medicines,” I suggested to the Taot‘ai that a List should be made out, to be hung up in a 
conspicuous place at the Custom House for general information; and I undertook to prepare 
such a List. To this the Superintendent agreed. 
The preparation of this List was a matter of some little difficulty, but I eventually 
determined to make it out in the following way :一 By taking all goods in the Chinese version 
of the Tariff—import and export—classed as Yao-ts‘at, with the exception of Opium alone, 
which is an article subject to special regulations; by including all such items as had been 
already traded in at the port and were admittedly “Medicines ;” and, finally, by adding to the 
above, from the Hankow List of ad valorem goods, all such items as might be expected to 
pass this port inwards or outwards. I next divided all the articles into the following eight (8) 
classes :—“ Roots” (#f), “Barks and Husks” (J& 5), “Twigs and Leaves” (§f #2), “Flowers” 
( 花 ) “Seeds and Fruits” ($ JR), “Grasses” (#3), “Insects” (gh), “Sundries” (#4 J#),—a 
classification which is in accordance with Chinese ideas and can be readily understood by all. 
This List, which is intended only for local use, does not profess to contain all the varieties 
of Medicine known in Chinese commerce, but only such as have already passed or might be 
anticipated as possibly likely to pass through our office. Spaces have been left between each 
class for adding other items hereafter. 
On the 13th November I sent in the List to the Superintendent, and suggested that 
copies should be forwarded by him to the British and American Consuls. On the 23rd I 
received the Tao-t‘ai’s assent to the List as prepared, with the exception only of one item— 
Mushrooms (j ##),—Wwhich was accordingly struck out. Subsequently, copies were sent by the 
