FOREIGNERS.
We read in the editorial columns of the last number of the London & China Eapress, in reference to the projected voyage of the Kuling to Chungking "We understand that Sir John Wal ham has telegraphed to the effect that the difficulty with regard to the permit has been arranged, and that the steamer can start directly up the river." It is obvious that this; information can only have come from the Foreign Office, and {we can therefore only conclude that Sir John Walsham isin the habit of telegraphing his hopes as facts; and it difficult to decide whether he was himself deceived by the ''sungli Yamen, or whether he was misleading the Foreign Office. For the news from Ichang shews that there is no chance of the permit being granted to the Kuling for months, Mr. Gregory, the British Consul there, was so utterly overwhelmed by the mere prospect of the task thrust upon him, that he refused even to enquire if the Chinese delegates had arrived, and it appears that their instructions are to refer their proceedings to the Viceroys of Szechuen {and Hukwang" from tine to time," so that the ''sungli Yamen has made every possible provision for delay; in fact, Sir John Walsham, in handing over the {matter to the local authorities, has virtually conceded the re-opening of the whole question. The Chinese must begin to be afraid that when the Kuling does make the attempt, she will succeed and indeed we learn that the steam-Hlaunch of the Kiangtung, a very slow boat, has been safely up two of the worst rapids without towing or any outside assistance. Sir John Walsham's at+ tempts at getting the Chefoo Convention }earred out would be ludicrous if the way in which he has allowed himself to \be bamboozled by the Chinese were not such a serious matter; it will soon become a question with the British residents in China whether they should not petition the Foreign Office to remove his courteous incapacity to some less important sphere.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.