Colquhoun points out that the advantages gained by the French wider the treaty made by M. Constans are by no means to be despised. It gives them advanced posts immediately neighbouring South-east Yunnan, South-west Knuangsi, and situate within 150 miles vith railway com niunication laid down will place them in a position of great advantage as regards these markets, "Langson, one of the four inland posts to be thus opened, is nearly as favourably situated as regards the trade above mentioned as Pé-Sé, the navigation limit for boats on the Canton river, and for the trade of Yunnan more favourably placed than Nanning, a town of some importance about 450 miles up stream from Canton and 200 miles below Pé-Sé. Pé-Sé being about 40 days' and Nanning about 25 days' journey by boat from Canton, it will readily be seen what a great saving in time and cost of transit will be effected by arail to Langson, while the heavy lekin duties and barrier dues along the Canton river would be avoided."—Mr. Colquhoun considers that if Pakhoi were connected by railway with Nanning it would be more favourably situated for the trade of Central Kuangsi and South Kweichow than Langson; steam navigation on the Canton river is impracticable beyond a point about 200 miles below and fifty miles above Wie-chow on account of the numerous rapids on that part of the river. To enable us to compete with the French, it is necessary, in Mr. Colquhoun's opinion that Wu-chou Fu a city of 30,000 inhabitants and an important trade centre be opened to foreign trade. his town stands at the junction of the Fu and Canton rivers. If this were done and Nanning joined by rail with Pakhoi we need not fear the French. Mr. Colquhoun does not share the opinion of the writer in the Times whose sketch of the new French treaty and prognostics of its effect on trade in Southern China and Yunnan, we referred to last week. He holds that the new treaty is dangerous to our interests, and that it must be met with vigour, The extracts from his letter which we have given show how the danger can be met in one direction as regards Yunnan and Szechuen a railway through the Siamese and Burmese Shan States from Moulmein to Ssu-mao is the key to the position. The abolition of the numerous /ekin stations near Pakhoi, and the development of the Transit pass system would increase trade in that direction, at all events they would give us fair play.
Schroeter, a German geutlein Canton, has lately published an account in his own language of a trip to Wei-chow Fu which he made last year, and a translation of it into English. His object apparently was to ascertain "the commercial status and prospects of the West River," and the tract of the country which he deals with is that commencing about Samshui or Three Water Town. But as a preliminary he says that the densely populated delta between Sam-shui, Hongkong and Macao mostly supplies itself direct from Hongkong, and has begun to export to there its produce and manufactures, izuoring the existence of Canton. The taxation of that delta—except on Kerosene and Opium—is remarkably light, when goods are shipped in junks, the tariff of the Native Customs being considerably lighter than that of the Imperial Customs. Then again, merchandise brought from the interior for shipment from Canton in foreign ships "is frequently subjected to additional taxes before it is landed in Canton or shipped from that place," and this, Mr. Schroeter says, explains why the Hongkong river boats have had such a small share of the immense carrying trade. The Imperial Customs charge 5 per cent ad culorem—and further taxes are exacted—while the Native Customs are content with 2 per cent,, making no difference whether the goods are landed near Hongkong or in the most northerly town in the delta. There are few countries in Europe, the writer says, whose such light taxes are levied on foreign goods as in the Canton delta, but beyond it the mandarins have squeezed trade almost to death. The opening of the Yangtsze, the ports on which have yearly drawn away more and more of the trade of Kuangsi, have injured the Canton trade with the districts. And after the rebellion the mandarins attempted to make the wretched country pay the expenses of its pacification, chiefly by establishing Customs stations at nearly every town on the West River. Between Hsi-nam and Ping-nam-hsien Mr. Schroeter counted eight of them. These stations are kept up to furnish sinecures for a horde of officials, who have nearly crushed out trade. This is what every foreign travel" ler in these parts has said, The opening of Wu-chou Fu to foreign trade is strongly advocated by Mr. Schroeter. Steamers drawing 12 feet could, Lieutenant Bullock, who surveyed the river in 1859, says, reach the place at any time of the year, and in the rainy season, or between February and September, vessels of a deeper draught could reach it, whereas there are rapids between it and Namuing which might be difficult of navigation. Mr, Schroeter recommends that Nanning should, on this account, be placed in a similar position—vlen the opening of the West River is again considered at Peking—to that in which Chungking was placed by the Chefoo Convention; a view which is harlly likely, we hope, to be taken by the foreign ministers and which we even hope would not meet with acceptance in the sung-liyamén. Mr. Schrocter's n of the desirability of opening uuchow to foreign trade agrees with Mr, Colquhoun's, The trade of the place has however not recovered since the Taiping rebellion, but the position of the town, and the fertility of the surrounding country would, with fair play, soon make it of great commercial importance. What the trade is at present may be inferred from. this passage in Mr. Schroeter's interesting pamphlet: "A great portion of the ordinary trade in piece goods is at the present time carried by a company which runs five lange cargo boats from Canton and eight from Fatshan, These thirteen boats alone carry in one month about 35,000 piculs of Chinese and European goods up river and about an equal quantity of native produce down." In addition, there are a number of smaller but faster boats and special craft for the carriage of icular kinds of produce. An honest= ly worked Transit Pass system would
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.