Xeseems likely that Hongkong, also, will contribute liberally to the support of Baron Richthofen's exploratory projects; so that every security which ample funds can give, will be present to guarantee success. Great interest in the Baron's movements is felt in the colony, as the first district he purposes visiting is the West River; and Hongkong feels a little ashamed, apparently, at the contrast between its own inactivity in regard to this channel of communication, and the course taken by the Shanghai Chamber, in reference to the Yangtze and Szechuen. The flood of light which was cast upon districts, before almost unknown, in the able Report drawn up by Messrs. Michie and Francis, is held to be an earnest of success for the explorations projected by Baron Richthofen. But in supporting his design, the Hongkong papers are very severe on the minority of the Shanghai Chamber, who demurred to the grant proposed at their Inst meeting. Wo think, however, that the gentlemen who did so demur have a right to be spoken of with more courtesy than they have received at the hands of our southern contemporaric.. They were a minority, certainly, but here is nothing specially blame-worthy in that; indeed we have heard a very able reasoner demonstrate that history proves minorities to have been generally in the right, and majorities in the wrong, We do not think so in this instance; but there was very fair ground for questioning whether the "China Association," which had been declared a failure, would not have been a more important object for support. And this, probably, is what was meant by the suggestion that the funds of the Chamber might be more usefully employed in trying to lay a clearer view of the political position, before people at home.
But, though we deprecate any violent animadversion on the conduct of those gentlemen who hesitated about granting money for the Geological Survey, we repeat that we think they were mistaken, We have, for some time, Inboured under a great disadvantage in approaching the ministers at Peking and the officials of the Foreign office, owing to our absolute ignorance of the state of the country. The Principles which the progressionists advocated, were obviously wise and right. The arguments they used were sensible and weighty, but they had not the indispensible accompaniment of "facts." They fired guns that were heavily charged with powder, but contained no ball. We should have been able to point out "what we wanted to get"; and ''where we wanted to go," and " how we wanted to go there"; if we had a reason to give for our objections to the prevalent policy, we might be assured that it would have far greater weight than if we discharged volleys of declamation, and left them, like a cloud of cavalry, struggling to take possession of a post, unsupported by artillery. All this was clearly seen by those members of our Chamber of Commerce, who constituted the majority when the crucial question was submitted as to the Baron's Survey; and though we do think that a groater measure of consideration should be shown to the minority ho shivered on the brink of spending Tis.
we anticipate that very practical and geod results will ensue from the explorer's efforts. He is full of energy and knowledge, and by no means disposed to take a roseate view of the country and its probable material wealth. He, will we believe, fairly state the gains likely to accrue to the foreign merchant from opening the interior; and he will do, on a larger seale_ perhaps, what the Report of the Yangtsze Commission has done on as.nrul one. The old Mercantile Corporations who were the nursing fathers of British commerce, bore the quaint but honourable name of merchant venturers." It would be well if merchants never engaged in any less questionable ventures than that of helping by a few taels the cause of scientific exploration in China, The Daily Press says authentic information has come to hand that a gigantic system of squeezing on the Chinese, in Canton, engaged in foreign trade, has just been inaugurated at that place. The various lids have been squeezed during the last few days by the Viceroy to the amounts of $10,000 each, viz: the piece goods guild, the cotton yarn guild, the raw cotton guild, &c., &e., under the pretence that the money is wanted to carry jon the war against the Panthays in Yunan. In order to recoup themselves, the guilds have resolved to levy a tax on all manufactures, &e., &c., imported into Canton, which tax is to come into operation on Saturday next, Annexed is the scale of charges, and it is needless to add that the money will eventually come out of the foreigner's pockets. This is a very encouraging inauguration of the new treaty arrangement, and comes at a most opportune time. Large shipments of goods have gone up to Canton during the last day or two, in order to get them in before the new squeeze comes into force. One large import house made several sales yesterday for shipment by Kinshan to-day. EXTRA CHARGES TO BE LEVIED ON ALL IMPOR-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.