Tae definitive jon of Macao to Portugal by China ie a remarkable -incident in the opening of the reign of Kuang Hell, It is only some three mouths since the Marquis Teéng made the proud aivouncement that the awakening o meant the dication of what she had lost in the past. "La the alienation of sovereign dominion over that part of her territory comprised in foreign settlements at the treaty ports, as well as in some other respects, China feels that the tre impose on her a condition of things which, in order to avoid the evils they have led to in other countries, will oblige her to denounce these treaties, on the expiry of the present decan period." It is aston at the first glance that such brave words should be followed by such an agroomont as hae just been made by China with Portugal hi fraitfal tax than that on opium, If only four thousand chests have beau hitherto smuggled into China in a year from Hongkong, that trade alone re. presents a loss of nearly half a million taels to the revenue. Sir Robert Hart hias succeeded in persuading the Govern. mont that to secure this half million of taels it is worth while to recognise opium again and to cede Maono, It has been suggested, indeed, that this ces is not go definitive us the news on the subject would indicate, The Japan Mail says that the oes ivelndea the island of Lapa, in the harbour of Maone, which has hitherto been a debateable laud, occupied exolasively by pirates and smugglers, and with no recognised Government, This island, which, if opium smuggling is to be firmly dealt with, the Portaguese must control, is to be occupied by Portugal on terms nearly identical ith those of the cession of British Kowloon to Great Britain; but, the agreement is to remain in force only as lon Portugal observes the new opium convention. Now the terms of with Portugal as long as the former's the convention just made at Lisbon dominion over Macao was denied by between Mr. Campbell, as representa. the latter; and the treaty negotiated tive of Sir Robert Hart avd Chins, by the then Governor of Macao in 1862, and the Portuguese Government, are of Sir Frederick Brace, not yet known here; but it is just possible that the very cession of Macao The position of Macao was eminently, depends on the maintenance of the to use the Marquis Teéug's words in opium convention; and that, if the another passage, @ ease in which Chins opium convention falls through in d to " agree to conditions and gave up either Hongkong or Macao, the claim of sovereignly which no inde of China to suzerainty over Macao pendent nation can continue to agree to, will ipso facto revive. The whole and lie out of, without an attempt to matter appears at present to be a vicious change the one, and recover the othe: circle, Without opium-smuggling and The obauge has gone in the opposite its profits, and a little assistance direction: China has gives up Macao tables, Macao will altogether, The determination of the Ohinese die Portuguese territory, but that is bat Government to prevent, as far as is cold comfort, If, to keep itself possible, the smuggling of opiam into i China from Hongkong and Macao, has will be resumed by China, and Chinn induced the Government to go even will be in the advantageous position of farther than the cession of Macao. having the authority of the ngresment Their fixed policy of late years has beau just made at Lisbon for taking it back, to discourage altogether the trade in As far as we can coo at present, Sir foreign opium. They made it astipola-Robert Hart, in his new agreenente, tion of the last treaty with the United has got mach the best both of Hong-the same stipulate treaty with Brazil, and they declared solemnly that no existing treaty should revieed, when the time for revision it was agreed to it 8 similar stipulation. By the arrange-Macao and with Hongkong "all this policy is thrown to the winds. Not only is opium once more recognised asa legitimate article of trade, but concessions, of little value to Hongkong, and of great apparent value to Macao, are readily made in order to protect the revenue from opium. A now policy is being followed. The defence of the country is the paramount object of Ohinese statesmen at the present time. The preparations for this defence de-maud funds; and there is no more spired the Marquis Tseng, the reference to the Land of the Fellah and the Khedive being more " bancombe," what do the Chinese give away if they cede Muoao to Portugal? Nothing. It has been a Portuguese possession for over three hundred years; the rise of Hong. Kong has entirely destroyed its trade, so that except as a shelter for smug-valueless. Ite alienation aooepted 80 long that no dis-thrown by it on and the Power in whose hand: never likely to be dangerous to China, One danger has indeed been suggested that Portugal might com and Macao over, to some power at war with China, which might overt it into a valuable base, ae valuable as Hongkong is to us, for an attack on Chinese ter ritory. This danger has, we know, been provided for by a special article in the aew agreement; an article whioh gives China even better authority to prevent the transfer by force, than she had before the agreement was made, It is as improbable Usat Portogal would consent to make the transfer, as that she should herself go to war with China, Portugal's desire for Macao is chiefly sentimental; it. is of no real value to the mother' country, but 18 possession reminds her of the proud days of Vasco de Gama and of Camoens, when she was a great come mercial and maritime power; and fallen as Mano is from ite former greatness, and peopled almost entirely as it is by Eurasians, her pride bide her hold it as long us possible. For many yenrs Portugal has been a special protege of England, and we heartily congratulate her on having at last put her possession of Macao on a firm basis, and only hope that results will not prove that she has paid too dearly for the cession, and for the treaty with China that will accom-
EGYPT, Many of our readers will remember how the brilliant author of Hothen, writing forty-three yours ago, said of Egypt, that the Englishman, straining far over to hold his loved Indis, will plant a firm foot on the banks of the Nile, and cit in the scote of the Faithfal. The Egypt of that time has been changed in ways that Eothen could not have foreseen, but his anticipations Lave at lerist partly been fulfilled within the Inst few ye Bat there have not been wanting indications that the Sal bary Government has had the com; evacuation of Hgypt in contemplation, if indeed it has not no tually proposed to the Sultan some scheme for bringing it-ubout at a very early time, The opposition which this met with in Eng-Innd evidently led the Government: to reconsider ita position, and the Under Seoretary of State, when questioned on the aubjeot in the House of Commons, said that the versions of the arrangementa which had been did not correctly, indioate the intentions of the cabinet. Since then we have learned that M. de Lesseps, too ready to inflame the minds of his countrymen against Evgland, said fter an interview with Prince Bis-marok, and when would appear to have the German Oban. cellor's concurrence, that if Groat Britai docs not fix a date for the grave consequences will vat threat has often been made French press, which not only ith jealousy on England's pre sence in Egypt, where it has always been their ambition that Ube influence of France should be paramour cannot forget, though they well as they oan, the chagrin which the recollection causes them, that it was the deliberate act of their own
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.