Wednesday, the 29th of August, Sir Harry Parkes was to leave Yoko. lama en roue for China, and may be expected to arrive in Shanghai on or about the Gth proximo." The appointment of Sir Harry as the successor to Sir Thomas Wade has been 80 froely spoken about that little or nothing remains to be said upon the subject, save indeed that we huve not hoard a single adverse criticism or anything to show that public opinion not absolutely unanimous in its favour, The now Minister arrives in Chinn ata time which as far us present apponrances go is unusually auspicious. The country has Intely passed through crisis which, while it lasted, was undoubtedly a period of anxiety and distress to many. A war has been averted which would have brought in its train a thousand dangers to foreigners as well as to the State. The Government has und gone an experience which should be fraught with lessons of wisdom and good counsel, and the trath has agai been forced upon it that if China to prosper and progress its traditions must yield to a very considerable degree to those principles of political economy and international jurispradance accepted and acted onin the West. Immediately before the actual outbreak of the qanrrel, now, as we hope, virtually healed, between France and Chinn, the Government at Peking was showing itself in n very disagreeable light, and assuming an attitude which, however untenable, would infallibly have led to uneasy relations between itself and the Trenty Powers. The vacillating and obstructive conduct of the Ministers at the Tsung-li Yaménu was fast becoming intolerable. Difficulty after difficulty was being placed in the way of foreign enterprises, ench blow being instigated from Peking, and levelled at us with excellent good-will by the Viceroy of the Liang Kiang. There is no doubt that for a considerable time past we have been living at a serious disadvantage. Daring a grave political crisis there was actually not one Earopean Ministerat the Capital except the representatives of Hollandand Belgium. The only Plenipotentiary there, indeed, was Admiral Eaomotto. M. Bourée had been recalled, Herr von Brandt had left under circumstances that have been variously explained. The British Legation was under the direction of the Hon. T. G. Grosvenor, an officer of marked ability, but not carrying with him the influence, quoad the Chinese Government, of a full-blown Minister. The American Legation was de facto in Shanghai, and. in plain trath the Hon, Russell Young has been the only diplomatist in China all along carrying any weight with the Chinese Government or able to exercise any influence upon the interests of foreigners. It is satisfactory, there fore, that this state of things should come to an end, and especially so when we consider the character and ante. cedents of the man whom we now join in welcoming to China, We think, then, that the welcome due to Sir Harry Parkes should take a rather more practical form than the more publication of articles in the press." It has we believe been decided that the Manicipal Council and the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce shall make arrangements for the public recep. tion of the new Minister. The mail which loft on Wednesday carried a letter to Sir Harry, which will reach him Nagasaki, conveying to him the wi of the community, and requesting him to fix a day on which a public meeting can be held in his honour; and it is expected that he will tele. graph his reply. So far the only decision arrived at by the Council and the Committee of the Chamber, is to lave a public reception in the Masonic Hall; but further arrangements will be made and daly communicated to the public as soon as possible after ro ing Siv Hnery's reply. Shangh proverbially apathetic in matters of public moment, and is apt to lose opportunities which if taken ad tage of would prove of much practical fatare value, Wo are therefore glad that in the present instance Sir Harry Parkes will not be allowed to land without some public notice being taken of the event. The details of such a stop as is to be taken may safely be left to those whose position in Shang. hui entitles them to act as represonta~ tives of the commanity. But one thing we should like to see, We think that every Englishman in the Settle. mout who can do 0, should go down to the wharf to meet the Minister. Thia would at any rate give to his reception the prestige of numbers, and supposing there are, say, two or three hundred persons gathered to receive him, his actual reception' will no doubt take spontaneous and very effective form. Had a public meeting been convened to consider the best method of offer. ing him a welcome it is possible that an appropriate scheme might have been devised, though there would be always a danger that opinion might prove so various as to predlade the adoption of any schemeatall. But to the suggestion we now make there is
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.